Working Group Co-Chaired by:
The COVID-19 crisis led to a sudden and large-scale use of digital learning practices. The range of solutions put in place to ensure continuity of education and training was wide, including high-low-no tech solutions, with marked differences within and between countries. However, data indicate that educational inequalities have been exacerbated, the challenges are related, among others, to connectivity, lack of digital skills of learners and teaching staff, lack of quality education resources. Evidence shows differences between levels, sectors of education and training and countries. Online learning has been provided as a solution -for at least a proportion of students- in all high-income countries, but not as uniformly among countries in the other income groups. Many education and training institutions lacked expertise and struggled to offer distance and online learning opportunities to all their students (UNESCO, UNICEF, World Bank, 2020; UNESCO, ILO, OECD, forthcoming).
Though no one can predict how education and training systems will evolve in the months and years to come, there is evidence that the future of education will be characterized by its increased integration of digital learning and the important role of the education technology industries and communities.
The Global Education Meeting (GEM) organised late October 2020 by UNESCO, called among others, for protecting and investing in education and for narrowing the digital divide in education, develop quality open educational resources and build digital commons as a complement to face-to-face learning, with a view to enabling inclusive and equitable technology-supported learning.
Objectives of the Group:
The Working Group Members will advise on challenges and opportunities related to digital learning including: (i) equitable quality digital learning ecosystems; (ii) Digital skills and competence framework for life and work; (iii) Ethic, governance, finance and anticipation. The aim is to benefit from the unique composition of the Commission and its expertise and perspective of the top/key players in the Technology industry, policy makers and IGOs and to engage with all relevant stakeholders and sharing knowledge about other existing resources and initiatives.
- Activities
The group was launched in September 2020 during the Broadband Commission’s Annual Fall Meeting.
- Promotional Toolkit
Social media graphics, key messages, videos, and presentation materials to support the report can be found on the Digital Learning Advocacy Trello.
Outcomes

Connecting Learning Spaces:
Possibilities for Hybrid Learning
The report introduces a range of factors that should be in place in order for hybrid learning to be a viable option for students, requiring deliberate planning, informed decision-making and substantial investment. It addresses considerations for accessing hybrid learning, especially those related to equitable access as required by SDG4.
Membership
Broadband Commissioners
Co-Chairs: Ericsson, Huawei, UNESCO and ITU
- Mr. Erik Ekudden, Ericsson
- Ms. Sun Yafang, Huawei
- UNESCO
- ITU
- Mr. Carlos Jarque, America Movil
- Dr. Dato Ir. Lee Yee Cheong, Malaysia
- Mr. Robert Kirkpatrick, UN Global Pulse
- Mr. Achim Steiner, UNDP
- Government of Rwanda
- Mr. Mats Granryd, GSMA
- Dr. Ann Aerts, Novartis Foundation
- Dr. Hyeonmo Ku, KT Corporation
- Mr. Piotr Dmochowski-Lipski, EUTELSAT IGO
- Mr. Hans Vestberg, Verizon
- Mr. Qu Dongyu, FAO
- Ms. Phumzile Mlambo Ngcuka, UN Women
- UNHCR
- UNICEF
- Ms. Bella Rwigamba, Chief Digital Officer for the Ministry of Education in Rwanda
External Experts
- Mr. Alexandre Barbosa, UNESCO Regional Centre for studies on the Development of the Information Society
- Mr. Christopher Yoo, University of Pennsylvania
- Mr. Kris Gopalakrishnan
- Mr. Urs Gasser, Executive Director of the Berkman Klein Center for Internet & Society at Harvard University and a Professor of Practice at Harvard Law School
- Ms. MienDee Yong, CourseNetworking
- Ms. Lucia Dellagnelo, Center for Innovation in Brazilian Education
- Mr. Han Liqun, former dean of School of information engineering, Beijing Technology Business University
- Ms. Liesbet Steer, Education Commission
- Ms. Amy Bellinger, Education Commission
- Ms. Rose Sagun, Education Commission
- Mr. Ravi Suchak, Vice President, Public Affairs, American Tower Cooperation
- Mr. Maikel Wilms, Boston Consulting Group
- Ms. Joanna Rubinstein, World Childhood Foundation
- Mr. Amer Baig
- Ms. Maria Florencia Ripani, Fundación CEIBAL
- Mr. Turhan Muluk, Intel
- Mr. John Roman, Intel
- Mr. Nuno Martin, Intel
- Dr. Mutlu Cukurova, University College London
- Mr. Joel Hellermark, SanaLab
- Dr. Carol O’Donnell, Smithsonian Science Education Centre
- Dr. Tarek Chehidi, Teach For All
- Mr. Larry Irving
- Prof. François Grey, Director, Geneva Tsinghua Initiative, University of Geneva
- Mr. Dejan Jakovljevic
- Mr. Mike Sharples, Professor, The Open University
- Mr. Mitja Jermol, UNESCO Chair in Open Technologies for Open Educational Resources and Open Learning
- Ms. Tracey Burns, Senior Analyst in the OECD’s Centre for Educational Research and Innovation
- Mr. Dominic Vergine, Head Of Sustainability, VP at Arm, Founder WEF 2030Vision, Co-founder The Centre for Global Equality, ARM.com
- Ms. Nicola Doody, Senior Strategy Manager at Accenture
- Mr. Luis Pinto, Education Venture Capital expert, BizDev Udemy Government
- Ms. Audrey Scozzaro Ferrazzini, Senior Director, Government Affairs, Qualcomm
- Ms. Liz Sproat, Global Head of Learning and Outcomes at LEGO Education
- Mr. Mario Franco, Founder & Chairperson Millennium @EDU SUSTAINABLE EDUCATION
- Ms. Radhika Iyengar, Director Education Sector, Center for Sustainable Development, The Earth Institute, Columbia University, New York
- Mr. Charley Wrigh
- Shanti Jagannathan, Asian Development Bank:
- Jeanette Burmester and Marina Janssen, GIZ
- Alessandro Brolpito, European Training Foundation (ETF)
- Karine Sonigo, International Labour Organization (ILO)
- Pasqualino Mare, European Commission