As the 2024/2025 European academic year comes into fruition, the education landscape is evolving and tech providers are taking the lead in driving significant change.
According to 95% of participants in the Digital Education Action Plans survey, the COVID-19 crisis has reshaped the use of technology in educational settings. Key industry players are spearheading innovation efforts to redefine learning beyond classroom settings.
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Bridging the Digital Divide
The digitalization of education is more than just a fleeting trend; it’s a lasting transformation. GoStudent’s 2024 survey suggests a shift in how we perceive the modern schooling system. The research found that over 50% of students aged 10 to 16 from six European countries expressed interest in using AI tools for learning.
Additionally, 90% of teachers agree that digital apps are helpful, but only half use them regularly. Teacher shortages in general and STEM fields are also considered obstacles, while digital disparities remain prevalent in technology-based learning materials. To address these challenges, the European Commission has called for a massive increase in digital education programs. UNICEF reaffirmed this by reiterating that AI education must be accessible regardless of the situation of location.
Telecom operators and vendors play a pivotal role in narrowing this gap. Low-cost data plans, better connectivity infrastructure, and accessible internet services are helping students and educators access resources as they overcome geographical barriers. Beyond internet access, telecom operators are attempting to democratize education. For students without physical access to schools or educational facilities, telecom operators enable learning from anywhere, thus advancing social equity.
As we look to the future of education, several key developments are expected to shape the intersection of telecom and education, promising exciting and intriguing possibilities:
● Remote and Hybrid Learning
The changes during the pandemic towards home-based or hybrid learning cut across all sectors of the world, and there was a strong demand for it elsewhere. Seeing the value of education, telecommunications operators have investigated improving their networks, 5G capabilities, and educational services.
- The Use of 5G
5G empowers users with a mobile broadband experience through fast and low-latency capabilities, equipping virtual classrooms with video streaming services, games and various interactive learning components. Additionally, 5G provides private networks (VPNs) for secure access to educational resources.
● Digital Classrooms and Edtech Innovations
Technology providers have made significant contributions to the education sector. Their tools and systems completely changed how students learn and teachers teach, opening up a new era of digital learning. Learning management systems (LMS), virtual reality (VR), and artificial intelligence (AI) are increasingly being adopted across various educational settings.
Learning management systems (LMS) consolidate course material, assignments, and communication. The system’s absence would significantly impact telecom companies, as they rely on these platforms for constant connectivity and improved performance levels. LMS also play a crucial role in maintaining the student-teacher relationship, preventing students from feeling distanced from their mentors.
Virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) are revolutionizing education. It has become possible for students to go on virtual trips to tourist attractions or perform experiments inside online laboratories thanks to these affordable immersive technologies.
Vodafone’s Initiatives
Vodafone is a leader in educational reform. One of its programs, #RedForKids, was launched by the Vodafone Albania Foundation on 23rd April 2020 via a virtual press conference between the CEO of Vodafone Albania, Achilleas Kanaris, and the Albanian Minister of Education, Besa Shahini, just after the announcement of the coronavirus pandemic. Together with the Albanian Ministry of Education, Vodafone provided 5000 smart gadgets and SIM cards with unlimited data to some of the most deprived children in Albania, addressing their virtual education needs.
The Vodafone Intelligent Solutions (_VOIS) program is dedicated to fostering a sustainable and inclusive digital world through its Skills for Life Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) vision. Since 2018, _VOIS has positively impacted over 375,000 individuals via community engagement, educational programs, and digital skills development initiatives. One standout example is Brighter Futures, an award-winning, employee-led volunteering initiative focused on enhancing education in underprivileged areas.
In Romania, the Brighter Futures program has made significant strides since 2018, delivering vocational and non-formal education directly to children from disadvantaged backgrounds. The program has also improved educational environments by renovating IT labs and other school facilities. The latest phase of this initiative involved volunteers renovating five schools across Teleorman, Timis, Botosani, Bihor, and Ialomita counties. Additionally, the project introduced new IT labs equipped with modern technology to 38 schools, benefiting 5,900 children, thereby significantly impacting the lives of these underprivileged students.
Brighter Futures has started an initiative called Guide Me that offers motivational sessions, study assistance, and vocational counseling in two secondary schools with low student graduation rates to help the students at risk of not graduating.
Recently, Vodafone has made a significant contribution to the University of Palermo in Sicily with its 5G project, ‘5G 4 A Smart Sicilian Academic Campus.’ This project, which marks the first dedicated 5G network on an Italian university campus, will cover the entire campus, including the University Hospital and School of Medicine. The 5G network will enable ultra-fast data transmission, with reduced energy consumption and reduced latency, making it possible to develop new innovative learning tools, such as Extended Reality (XR) platforms, for medical training. These immersive classes, emphasizing “learning through doing,” will supplement face-to-face and remote learning.
Telcos Pioneering Intelligent Classrooms
Deutsche Telekom has enhanced digital infrastructure across German communities through its T-Labs and several other initiatives. This organization’s Digital Schools Project, for example, seeks to make schools more modern by providing them with fast internet connections and digital devices. In Berlin, Deutsche Telekom collaborated to create ‘Smart Classrooms’. These classrooms boast interactive whiteboards, high-speed Wi-Fi connections, and digital learning resources, which have supported networked information access and student cooperation worldwide.
Moreover, Makedonski Telekom introduced intelligent classrooms a few years ago in Skopje. The classrooms are fitted with the latest cloud technologies to facilitate remote communication among pupils and their instructors. Therefore, through video conferencing, even a Southeast European University lecturer can contact students at an elementary school where they have held their maiden lesson on computer science in an intelligent classroom environment. Experts behind this initiative believe that digital education fosters greater engagement in the classroom and enables teachers to more easily monitor student progress, preparing them to navigate the challenges of a digital society.
Crnogorski Telekom is enhancing the digital capabilities of the University of Montenegro by providing a high-speed 1 Gbps internet connection at no cost. This strategy aims to facilitate smooth data exchange between universities and professors and students across all its faculties, institutes, and colleges by integrating them into one more extensive scientific network.
Deutsche Telekom’s achievements at Merseburg University prove that technology is vitally essential for education. The telecom giant unveiled the region’s first 5G campus network at Merseburg University of Applied Sciences. This cutting-edge network, a key component of Saxony-Anhalt’s digitization strategy, comprises 44 indoor and five outdoor antennas, spanning 30,000 square meters of the campus and the Merseburg Innovation and Technology Center (MITZ). These antennas use advanced 5G standalone technology to deliver high security and low latency to users accessing an exclusive bandwidth of up to 100 MHz. The network is designed to support various applications, including autonomous driving and logistics, augmented reality, and healthcare. The network will also include a 5G indoor positioning system that facilitates the real-time tracking of objects.
Orange’s Digital Schools
Orange’s impact on education in Europe is significant, and its initiatives extend beyond the continent. The Digital Schools for Africa program, launched in collaboration with educational organizations, equips schools with essential technology and digital tools to enhance learning.
By 2025, Orange plans to open 7 digital centers across Europe to address the growing need for digital support. These centers promote digital literacy among rural communities, older adults, and young people, helping them gain greater autonomy and professional skills. In Eastern Europe, these centers contribute to national programs for schools, youth, and women’s education.
Orange’s digital centers foster the exchange of expertise and experiences across Africa and Europe, with 26 centers planned through 2025. The program collaborates with governments, educational institutions, and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) to advance digital inclusion, support entrepreneurship, and improve employability for youth and women.
In France, the Orange digital center in Saint-Ouen-sur-Seine and other regional centers and online platforms offer digital training for all ages. It supports professionals and entrepreneurs with workshops to enhance creativity and business competitiveness, leveraging Orange’s extensive skills and resources.
In June this year, UNICEF signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Orange Moldova, the country’s leading telecommunications provider. The formal agreement, formalized through a UNICEF visit to the Orange Digital Center, aims to utilize innovative technologies to improve the protection, education, and well-being of children and the youth in Moldova, especially in rural areas. Under this partnership, the Orange Moldova company will help bolster UNICEF’s programs through modern technology and practices to ensure equal development opportunities children and the youth. The partnership will use modern technologies and data to improve educational interventions, youth services, child protection, and social support.
UNICEF Moldova’s Country Representative, Maha Damaj, highlighted the significance of the agreement, “We are excited to collaborate with Orange Moldova to advance children’s futures. This partnership reflects our dedication to equipping children with the tools and opportunities they need to succeed in a digital world.”
Olga Surugiu, General Manager of Orange Moldova, added, “This memorandum offers a valuable chance to support children in adapting to the digital age while promoting safe and sustainable technology use. We believe in fair access to technology for all, and with this partnership, we aim to bring our IT expertise closer to children across the country.”
The partnership between UNICEF and Orange Moldova will continue until June 4, 2026.
BT Group’s Digital Learning Solutions
BT Group has always strived for better performance through its various digital learning solutions. The company, therefore, ensures that the digital infrastructure is very secure and provides tools essential for the successful operation of remote and hybrid learning.
The company has partnered with different educational institutions in the UK for advanced virtual classrooms and e-learning platforms. Their technology facilitates a two-way video transmission between the teacher and the students, and the teacher can also send interactive lessons, as well as a plethora of online resources.
In May this year, BT Group revealed its AI-disguised My Campus platform, made in collaboration with data-driven learning specialists, Degreed. This platform provides employees with personalized learning. This initiative targets the up-skilling and re-skilling of the staff, thus supporting the Group’s goals of productivity enhancement and skills base transformation.
In its soft-launch phase, My Campus has been made available to over 46,000 employees, with 42% actively engaging with the platform. Integrating BT Group’s MyHR system, powered by SAP’s SuccessFactors, creates a unified system for tracking mandatory training and personal development. This integration facilitates better talent mobility, workforce planning, and personalized learning by sharing skills data between SuccessFactors and Degreed.
David Blake, CEO of Degreed, praised the implementation, stating, “BT Group has shown tremendous vision in deploying scalable, personalized learning. Integrating this with MyHR and utilizing a wide range of content makes this a world-class solution. We’re proud of what we’ve achieved and confident it will support BT Group as they adapt to a changing workforce.”
Ericsson’s 5G for Education
Ericsson is making significant strides in leveraging 5G technology to enhance education across Europe. The company focuses on utilizing 5G’s high-speed and low-latency capabilities to enable immersive and interactive learning experiences, and it is known for its academic cooperation.
At KTH Royal Institute of Technology, the ACCESS Linnaeus Centre stands as a testament to the power of collaboration, bringing together a staggering 160 researchers from the fields of electrical engineering, computer science, and mathematics. This collective force is dedicated to exploring complex communication networks, making ACCESS one of northern Europe’s largest research centers focused on scalable, self-managed network infrastructures for the future.
Tapping into industrial competency, Chalmers University of Technology hosts the GigaHertz Centre with high-frequency-technology industry partners to escalate academic achievements into industrial deployment. The Chase Centre drives applied research in antenna systems, focusing on industry applicability, societal impact, and sustainability. The Software Center fast-tracks software engineering breakthroughs from university-industry collaboration through to widespread deployment.
Nokia and the Future of Education
Nokia is contributing EUR 1.1 million to four Finnish universities to help them build tomorrow’s technology and business success. Aalto University and the universities of Helsinki, Oulu, and Tampere will share the donation, which will be augmented by state funding from a government initiative designed to match industry donations.
The universities were selected based on their world-renowned expertise and heritage in key research areas relevant to Nokia’s core business including 5G and beyond (6G); network optimization and artificial intelligence; radar, sensing and positioning; radiofrequency systems and MEMS, quantum computing and quantum communications; and silicon, materials and device technologies.
Tommi Uitto, President of Nokia’s Mobile Networks and Country Manager for Finland, emphasized the company’s deep roots in Finland, stating, “Nokia’s 157-year history in Finland is built on a foundation of long-term research and continuous innovation. To keep Finland at the cutting edge of technology and innovation, it’s essential to invest in research and education. This donation underscores our commitment to Finnish research and education, helping to nurture world-class innovation and talent.”
Nokia and CityFibre have successfully trialed the UK’s first 25G PON network for 5G transport at the University of Glasgow’s digital campus. This test, supported by the Scotland 5G Centre, demonstrated 25G PON’s ability to handle 5G transport while simultaneously running XGS-PON for office traffic on the same fiber, showcasing seamless wavelength coexistence. The trial included advanced simulations like a holographic call, robotic arm teleoperation, and 8K video streaming.
Professor Muhammad Imran from the University of Glasgow emphasized that “backhaul connectivity is the backbone of 5G networks,” and the trial showed how Nokia’s 25G PON solution can enhance 5G performance.
Matt Yarwood, Network Architect at CityFibre, highlighted the network’s scalability for future tech needs, while Phil Siveter, CEO of Nokia UK, cited 25G PON a “game-changer” for mission-critical 5G networks.
What’s more, the University of Glasgow has officially launched the Glasgow Computing Science Innovation Lab (GLACSIL), aiming to forge stronger connections between academia and industry. GLACSIL will bring together researchers from the university’s School of Computing Science and representatives from six companies that have already established close collaborative ties with the faculty through jointly funded research projects.
Huawei’s Smart Classroom 3.0 Solution
At MWC Barcelona 2024, Huawei demonstrated the Smart Classroom 3.0 Solution and its powerful AI teaching analysis application at a session themed “Leading Infrastructure to Accelerate Education Intelligence.”
In his opening speech, Wind Li, CEO of Huawei’s Global Public Sector BU, remarked, “As digital natives, we have a natural affinity for ICTs, and modern education is increasingly focused on building a digital and intelligent ecosystem. This enhances the digital literacy of both teachers and students and nurtures future innovators. Huawei is committed to working with industry partners to establish a high-performance digital foundation for education, leveraging cloud computing, AI, and big data. Our goal is to revolutionize teaching and management methods, paving the way for the future of education.”
The Huawei Smart Classroom 3.0 Solution takes advantage of AI education models that intelligently analyze and extract key course content. It produces knowledge graphs that allow teachers to flexibly design lessons and help students customize their learning according to their needs. This solution makes teaching easier by examining classroom activities and conditions, enabling better education management. It also uses Huawei’s IdeaHub to access many online digital resources, making it easier for students to learn through online and offline interactive learning.
Huawei’s intelligent classroom solution has become an enabler for transforming education worldwide through its constant upgrade. In Europe, for instance, the company has strengthened its partnership with the Ministry of Education of Serbia to implement smart classrooms in more than 200 primary and secondary schools.
Qualcomm’s 5G School Projects
Qualcomm’s 5G Smart School program, jointly started with WeSchool, Telecom Italia (TIM), and Acer, now enables schools in Italy to utilize the latest wireless technological solutions. Announced at an event in Rome, the initiative seeks to improve the learning experience of secondary school students (11-19 years old) by equipping them with 5G connectivity and advanced digital tools and creating a teaching environment that uses innovative teaching methodologies.
The project involves almost 2,000 students and 100 teachers from 8 different schools. It provides teachers with Snapdragon 5G platform-enabled ACER notebooks and WiFi models for students connected to TIM’s 5G network.
Marco De Rossi, CEO of WeSchool, highlighted that the “5G Smart School demonstrates that technology can enhance not just individual work, but also in-person collaboration, creating a new model for future education.”
European operators and vendors are almost entirely improving connectivity and altering the educational scene. Through creative projects and transactions, they create the environment for the students and teachers to study and work in the digital program. These innovations, such as smart classrooms, high-speed internet, immersive learning technologies, and digital skills training, are the first steps toward a more connected, interactive, and future-ready education system. In its evolution and development, technology will be the ground on which telcos and vendors will be able to thrive in the education sector.
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