Janika Leoste

The aim of the project is to assess the partner universities' IT curricula from the point of view of industries' and digital services end-users' needs, and to develop and pilot additional modules by universities.

The aim of the project is to assess the partner universities' IT curricula from the point of view of industries' and digital services end-users' needs, and to develop and pilot additional modules by universities.

This project aims to foster children’s digital and AI literacy and promote their rights and safety in digital environments across the Western Balkans, with a particular focus on Albania and Bosnia and Herzegovina. Grounded in principles of inclusion, ethics, and empowerment, the initiative responds to the urgent need for structured, rights-based digital education that reaches all children—especially those from marginalized and underrepresented groups. The project will empower children aged 8–18 with the knowledge and critical thinking needed to navigate the digital world safely and ethically, introducing key concepts such as data privacy, algorithmic bias, and misinformation. Through a cascade Training-of-Trainers (ToT) model, over 250 educators will be equipped to deliver gender-sensitive, age-appropriate digital and AI education using an inclusive training curriculum and a co-designed Digital AI Literacy Toolkit. To ensure that children are not just passive recipients, the project will actively engage them as co-creators and campaigners, enabling them to lead awareness initiatives such as “My Digital Voice” and contribute to resource development. The approach will prioritize Universal Design for Learning (UDL) to close digital access gaps for girls, children with disabilities, rural youth, and those in institutional care. On the policy level, the project will drive change by producing a regional Policy Paper and organizing roundtables with ministries and digital stakeholders, advocating for the integration of children’s rights and ethical AI use into national education and child protection strategies. By combining local action with regional and EU-level dialogue, the project will build long-term capacities, promote cross-border collaboration, and contribute to a safer, fairer digital future for all children in the Western Balkans and beyond.