Belgium - National Digital Skills and Jobs Coalition

The first Belgian National Digital Skills and Jobs Coalition was created back in 2014. To adapt the coalition to the changed world, it was re-launched on 2 November 2020. The multi-stakeholder partnership focuses on tackling the digital skills shortage and aims to upskill and reskill citizens and workforce, enabling the development of skills for all and the digital transformation of the economy and society. National and regional representatives of academia, education sectors, industry, public services, and the non-profit sector are invited to participate with valuable contributions to ensure that Belgium joins the European effort to leverage the rewards of digitisation.

The Coalition is coordinated by a Governing Board which includes: Belgian Digital Skills Lead Saskia Van Uffelen, the Digitalisation Office of the Belgian Federal Government, Ministry of Economy, Agoria, and the whole Skills Ecosystem of formal and non-formal education partners. The work on digital skills and jobs has been coordinated nationally by Saskia van Uffelen, in her role as Digital Champion for Belgium since 2011. 

Belgium’s Digital Skills Journey: From Awareness to Inclusion and AI Readiness

Since the start of the National Coalition for Digital Skills, Belgium’s digital skills policy has evolved through the leadership of three successive ministers, each building on the achievements of their predecessors while responding to new societal and economic challenges.

As Minister for the Digital Agenda, Alexander De Croo laid the foundations of Belgium’s digital transformation through the launch of the Digital Belgium strategy in 2015. For the first time, digital skills were recognised as a strategic priority for the country’s future competitiveness. The plan linked digital literacy, STEM education, coding skills and ICT talent development to economic growth, innovation and employment creation. By bringing together government, industry and education stakeholders, Digital Belgium helped establish digital skills as a core pillar of the county’s digital and economic policy.

In the area of digital skills and jobs, the Coalition created the programme DigitalChampions.be, an alliance that brought together various stakeholders from the public and private sectors, as well as educators. The initiatives targeted all citizens, irrespective of their age and background, with the aim of strengthening and developing digital skills in a larger segment of the population. 

Building on this foundation, Mathieu Michel, Secretary of State for Digitalisation, broadened the agenda through the Smart Nation 2030 vision and the creation of the Digital Minds expert platform. His approach focused on ensuring that every citizen could participate in the digital society. Digital Minds promoted lifelong learning, the recognition of competencies through micro-credentials and digital badges, greater inclusion of women in digital professions, and stronger digital capabilities within public administrations. The initiative also highlighted the importance of digital citizenship, digital inclusion and continuous reskilling as essential ingredients for Belgium’s long-term prosperity and digital sovereignty. 

Today, Vanessa Matz is driving the next phase of Belgium’s digital transformation with a strong focus on digital inclusion and artificial intelligence. Through the Digital Inclusion 2025 programme, she is supporting projects that help vulnerable groups acquire digital skills and access digital technologies, ensuring that no citizen is left behind in the digital transition. At the same time, investments in the Belgian AI Antenna and related AI infrastructure aim to strengthen advanced digital capabilities, stimulate innovation and prepare Belgium’s workforce for the growing impact of artificial intelligence. Her approach combines social inclusion with technological leadership, recognising that future competitiveness depends both on broad digital literacy and on advanced digital and AI expertise. 

Together, these three leaders illustrate the evolution of Belgium’s digital skills strategy: from developing basic digital capabilities and supporting economic growth, to promoting lifelong learning and digital inclusion, and finally towards building an AI-ready, digitally empowered society where all citizens can participate and benefit from technological progress. 

To improve the Digital e-Inclusion DigitAll was founded in 2020 as the Belgian ecosystem on the initiative of BNP Paribas Fortis, later joined by Proximus and many other companies, governments, social organisations, and educational partners. Its mission is to strengthen digital inclusion by ensuring that everyone can participate in an increasingly digital society through better access to technology, digital skills development, and user-friendly digital services. Today, more than 100 organisations collaborate within DigitAll to bridge the digital divide and create a more inclusive digital future for all Belgians. 

In July 2025, Saskia Van Uffelen, National Coalition Lead for Belgium, Digital Skills Lead for Belgium and Belgium Lead for the Digital Skills and Jobs Coalition, was appointed Commander of the Order of Leopold by King Philippe. She received this high honour for her many years of service as a top executive in the ICT and telecommunications sectors, her efforts to promote digital literacy, and her role as Belgium’s “Digital Champion” at the European Commission.

Women in Digital – Objectives of the Belgian FPS Economy Programme

The Women in Digital (WiD) Strategy aims to reduce the gender gap in digital and technology-related sectors and to attract, integrate, and retain more women in ICT and STEM careers. Belgium faces a significant shortage of digital talent, while women remain strongly underrepresented in these fields. 

The strategy is built around five strategic objectives:

• Increase the number of women graduating in digital and STEM fields. Encourage more girls and young women to pursue studies in ICT, technology, engineering, and science. 

• Promote the integration of women into the digital labour market. Support women in accessing digital careers through education, reskilling, upskilling, and career-transition initiatives. 

• Improve the retention of women in the digital sector. Reduce female attrition by fostering inclusive workplaces, career development opportunities, and sustainable career paths. 

• Create and highlight female role models. Increase the visibility of successful women in technology and digital professions to inspire future generations. 

• Address the gender gap among vulnerable target groups. Pay particular attention to women facing additional barriers, such as those with a migrant background, disabilities, or single-parent responsibilities.