Austria - Digital Skills Initiative

Austria is taking a coordinated national approach to strengthening digital skills across its society, education system, and workplaces with the Digital Skills Initiative (“Digitale Kompetenzoffensive”, DKO for short). The initiative, which serves as Austria’s national coalition for digital skills and jobs, was established in 2022. It brings together a broad, strategic effort, engaging a wide range of stakeholders to address the digital skills gaps across Austrian society. 

The initiative is jointly led by the Austrian Federal Chancellery and four federal ministries, the Ministries of Labour, Social Affairs, Health, Care and Consumer Protection, Education, Women, Science and Research, and Economic Affairs, Energy and Tourism, and reflects a cross-government approach to cooperation, supporting a coherent national strategy. Its national scope is reflected in all federal states signing the Digital Austria Pact, demonstrating a collective commitment to enhancing digital skills and literacy. 

In a nationwide process involving more than 500 experts and stakeholders from 80 institutions, a digital skills strategy paper was developed. This strategy highlights eight priority measures that provide the basis for the initiative’s further work. These include the introduction of a national reference framework for digital skills and targeted, low-barrier learning opportunities. Particular attention is also paid to the training of educators, identifying, supporting and scaling good practices, showcasing the public sector as a role model, addressing the IT skills shortage, AI literacy initiatives, and strengthening Austria’s role in digital competence internationally. 

Cooperation with stakeholders continued beyond the strategy process, but was formalised through the Advisory Board, which is made up of experts from all relevant national institutions from the public sector, academia, educational institutions, interest groups, social partners and other relevant organisations. This board advises on the further evolution of the Digital Skills Initiative. 

To support beginners in developing basic digital skills, the initiative has introduced "Digital Überall“ (Digital Everywhere) workshops. Around 6,000 workshops have been held across Austria so far in 2026, with over 60,000 attendances. They aim to bolster digital competencies through accessible and targeted educational sessions. Topics include essential skills such as navigating digital government services, cybersecurity awareness, and understanding artificial intelligence, ensuring participants are able to participate confidently in an increasingly digital society. The programme is designed to highlight the importance of digital skills and to encourage citizens to continue their lifelong learning. These measures are central to Austria’s goal of raising the level of basic digital skills to over 80%, in line with the broader European Digital Decade objective. The Digital Überall programme won the European Digital Skills Award 2025 in the category “inclusion”.

Another key step was the introduction of the Austrian Framework of Reference for Digital Competence in 2024, aligned with the current Austrian DigComp model, to provide a standardised benchmark for digital competencies, supporting consistency across education and training provision. The OeAD, implementation partner of the Digital Skills Initiative, is also responsible for developing and updating the Austrian DigComp model.

In 2025, the free online learning platform “Lernportal Digital Austria” was launched, offering a variety of courses for adult educators in basic digital skills training. The initiative also places particular emphasis on AI, such as the development of an AI literacy curriculum which aims to help people navigate the opportunities and challenges of AI technologies, and the initiative “She goes AI” which establishes a network for women in the field. These examples form part of a broader set of measures, complemented by the activities of numerous partner organisations and strengthened through collaboration. 

The comprehensive approachcombines strategic collaboration across government levels, stakeholder engagement, and the development of inclusive, accessible educational programs, demonstrates Austria's commitment to equipping people in Austria for an increasingly digital society. The DKO initiative not only aims to bridge the digital skills gap but also to enhance the digital literacy of everyone in Austria, so that everyone can benefit. 

Note: The national alliance previously known as the „Allianz für Digitale Skills und Berufe“ (ADSB) was fully integrated into the Digital Skills Initiative in 2023.