Science and Universities

Organised by Barcelona City Council, the Government of Catalonia, the Open University of Catalonia and the Ramon Llull University – Blanquerna, with the support of Eurecat, the Digital Skills Congress has become further consolidated with a fourth edition that brought together over 500 participants at the Cibernàrium and concluded with a ten-point summary setting out the precepts for eradicating the digital divides that create inequality.

The theme of this year’s congress was “Lifelong digital autonomy” and stressed the need for everybody to adopt the tools and knowledge to be able to live and work autonomously in a society where people are increasingly required to have a knowledge of technology. The meeting addressed the digital and technology issue in a wide range of areas, including healthcare, mental health, ageism, childhood and adolescence, and various professional sectors, such as video games, robotics and more.

The session featured nearly twenty speakers, with a strong women’s presence of women (over 70%) in a sector that continues to be dominated by men.

The ten points set out in the document are:

DIGITAL EQUITY

1. Pursue equality between people to achieve digital equity.
2. Increase the number of women and young people in the STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths) sector.
3. Increase ICT training for women.

DIGITAL DIVIDE

1. Accept that the digital divide affects everybody and seek to overcome it with a positive attitude.
2. Develop tools designed for the most vulnerable groups.

CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE

1. During childhood, encourage more interpersonal connection and less screen-based interaction.
2. Digital sensitivity: help young people manage technology.

ICT AND HEALTH

1. Foster digital skills among healthcare professionals.
2. Facilitate digital education for patients as well, particularly the most vulnerable.
3. Adopt telemedicine not as an obligation but for its usefulness and benefits.

The Study on Digital Welfare was also presented during the congress, placing the focus on inclusion and the promotion of critical thought in relation to all technological topics. Coordinated with the pan-European association All Digital, which represents member organisations from around Europe working with 25,000 digital skills centres, the document analyses digital welfare, which permeates people’s interaction with digital tools, and includes input from the Government of Catalonia’s Secretariat for Digital Policies, from the point of view of digital right and responsibilities linked to the Catalan Charter for Digital Rights and Responsibilities, promoted by the Catalan government.

In this respect, the study emphasises the need to understand digital welfare, that is, a person’s physical and mental health in connection with the use of technology and digital devices, as a right that must be guaranteed for everybody throughout their lives. The report concludes that digital welfare needs to be worked on across the board in all digital interactions and in all spheres, including education, healthcare, the world of work, training and free time.