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National Strategies

Deputy Ministry of Research, Innovation and Digital Policy has developed Digital Skills National Action Plan 2021-2025 to enhance digital skills in Cyprus. The main purpose of the Action Plan is to develop and continuously upgrade digital skills in all population groups and levels. 

Main pillars of the Digital Skills National Action Plan 2021-2025:

  • upgrading the digital skills of the general population;
  • enhancing the skills of the public and private workforce, with particular reference to ICT specialists;
  • developing expanded digital competence within the education system.

The specific objectives of the Action Plan are as follows:

  • Improving society’s response to the digital challenge and the active participation of all citizens without exception in the digital society and economy.
  • Bridging the gap between supply and demand in the labour market, both in terms of the skills of the future and the availability of ICT specialists to meet the growing and more specialised needs of businesses in today’s highly competitive environment.
  • Redesigning the education system to develop the digital skills of the future from pre-primary education, to promote the technological professional direction, and to encourage and promote a culture of creativity and innovation among young people.
  • Promoting women’s participation in the ICT sector.
  • Raising society’s awareness of the importance of digital skills but also of lifelong learning
    The constructive interconnection and close cooperation of all actors involved and the establishment of a systematic and effective coordination and feedback mechanism.

The development of the Action Plan took into account, in addition to Cyprus’s Digital Strategy 2020-2025 and Europe’s Digital Compass, the European Digital Skills Framework for Citizens (DigComp), which lists five key areas of competence, which should be developed through educational and vocational training programmes to ensure the development of the necessary skills:

  • Use of information and data
  • Communication and cooperation
  • Creating digital content
  • Safety
  • Solve problems

Target groups of the Digital Skills National Action Plan 2021-2025:

  • Society – Digital skills for all: Refers to actions to upgrade the digital skills of the general population, including vulnerable groups and remote geographical areas.
  • Labour: It concerns the upskilling of workers, both in the public and private sectors (from basic to advanced level), including the unemployed, so that they are active, compatible and modern job-seekers in today’s and in the future labour market.
  • Professionals – ICT specialists: To reskilling-upskilling initiatives for ICT specialists, both in the public and private sectors, focusing on the possibility of certification in specialised subjects, which is an important tool for professional development.
  • Education system: Refers to actions to strengthen (a) students’ digital skills, based on the 21st century Digital Skills Framework as described by the European Commission, and (b) skills development (such as critical thinking, creativity, problem solving) through the STEM approach.

The implementation of the Action Plan will be monitored on the basis of the targets set in the national Recovery and Resilience Plan, with a deadline for implementation in 2026, and in accordance with the assessment of Cyprus’ various performance parameters, which fall under the European DESI indicator.

Strategy Details

Target audience
Digital skills for the labour force.
Digital skills for ICT professionals and other digital experts.
Digital skills in education.
Digital skills for all
Digital technology / specialisation
Geographic scope - Country
Austria
Target language
English
Geographical sphere
National initiative
Timeline/roadmap
Adoption in 2021. Actions for period 2022-2025.
Budget

Total budget unknown. The project entitled ‘e-skills Action Plan – Implementation of specific actions’ has been included in the National Recovery and Resilience Plan, ‘Cyprus a tomorrow’, which includes actions in excess of EUR 30 million to achieve the objectives set out in Policy Axis 5.1 of the Plan.

Stakeholder Involvement

The Digital Skills Action Plan is coordinated by the Deputy Ministry of Research, Innovation and Digital Policy of Cyprus – in cooperation with bodies in the public, wider public and private sectors, such as the Ministry of Labour and Social Insurance, the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sport and Youth, the Cypriot Academy of Public Administration, the Human Resources Development Authority, the Digital Security Authority, business associations, universities and businesses.