New technologies to support creativity and innovation

The 2020-2025 Digital Transformation Bible foresees a schedule with projects that support the strategy of the Ministry of Education and Religious Affairs, to strengthen the digital experience at every level of Education's operation.

Regarding Education, a total of 35 projects have been planned to be implemented, in medium and short term horizon, covering the entire range of new technologies in education.

Indicative projects:

• MySchool Digital Services

• Digital Services of the Panhellenic School Network

• eParents

• Augmented Reality Labs

• Educator Training Platform

• Digital Services of Academic Institutions

• Digital Educational Content and e-Learning Services

• EOPPEP (National Organisation for the Certification of Qualifications & Vocational Guidance) Digital Services

• Expansion of the e-me Digital Platform

• Supply and Installation of Interactive Systems

• Innovation Labs in each Educational District, etc.

Moreover, the Panhellenic School Network is the national network and internet service provider of the Ministry of Education and Religious Affairs, with the aim of connecting and supporting educational units. The Panhellenic School Network provides e-learning, communication and collaboration, e-government and user support services, with personalized access to 1.203.424 people: Teachers, Students, Administrative Staff, Non-Active Teachers.

Panhellenic School Network services include Webex video conferencing technologies, website hosting, distance learning technologies, e-classroom, live broadcasts and others.

As stated in the Strategic Plan for Vocational Education, Training, Lifelong Learning and Youth 2022-2024, the promotion of innovation is a priority for the reform of the existing national policy for Vocational Education and Training. In this axis, the operation of EPAL (Vocational High School) Model Schools is foreseen throughout the Greek territory, which will also function as centers for the development and diffusion of innovation and good practices, in Vocational Education and Training, through cooperation with research and innovation centers at national and European level.

In the context of strategic planning for the digital transformation of education, the strengthening of digital skills of the educational community and the empowerment of vulnerable groups, the "Digital Care" program ensures financial support for every student, who falls under specific social and income criteria, for the purchase of technological equipment. The program is under the supervision of the Ministry of Education and Religious Affairs, the Ministry of Finance, Development and Investments, the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs and the Ministry of Digital Governance.

The "Digital Care II" Program is a continuation of the "Digital Care" Program, which was successfully completed in 2021 and funded more than half a million pupils and students. The action is implemented within the framework of the National Recovery and Resilience Plan "Greece 2.0" with funding from the European Union - Next Generation EU. The aim of the program is to strengthen further groups such as:

• Public and private sector educators

• Families with dependent members and minors under guardianship who attend educational structures and were affected by the fires that occurred in areas of the Greek territory in July and August 2021

At the same time, the first axis of the "Greece 2.0" Plan, regarding digital transformation, concerns the connectivity of citizens, businesses and the state. The actions of this axis aim to help fill the gaps in high-speed interconnections and achieve gigabit connections. The investments facilitate the installation of fiber optic infrastructure, the deployment of 5G networks and the transition to broadband technologies.

Facilitating access to culture through new technologies

The development of digital models of cultural production as well as innovative digital services, as mentioned in the 2020-2025 Digital Transformation Bible, will cover Greece's lag in the creation of digital applications. Such services concern the highlighting of exhibits using virtual reality technologies and actions of a horizontal nature to enrich the digital content. 18 projects of new technologies in the field of culture are foreseen in this guide.

The two projects under implementation are:

• Digitization of the cultural heritage of the Church of Greece

• Digitization of important Byzantine antiquities in the area of ​​Mount Athos

Other planned projects concern:

• Digitization of artistic education

• Creation of a platform for the retransmission of cultural content in live (or not) time

• Reconstruction of the "Odysseus" platform

The National Documentation Center (EKT) developed the single cultural information space, the Search Culture website, which is the National Accumulator of Digital Cultural Content. The objectives of the project are the free central access and uniform distribution of digital cultural resources - within the framework of the policies followed by their producers - their rehabilitation and interconnection, their safe preservation and their inclusion in the European Digital Library Europeana in accordance with national and European priorities. The EKT highlights cultural heritage in the public digital space through modern technologies and infrastructures and ensures in perpetuity the outcome of major digitization projects financed with public as well as private resources, for the benefit of the wider community.

The use of new technologies is adopted by the Acropolis Museum, with the use of multimedia applications, in order to bring its website visitor into contact with the museum, the multiple dimensions of the exhibits that make up its collections as well as the space from which they derive. 3D virtual tours, digital applications and videos offer the Museum's online audience the opportunity to gain a lively and active relationship with various aspects of ancient Greek culture. The viewer has the possibility to digitally navigate the museum through a spherical video.

At the same time, the Benaki Museum applies similar technologies, through the "Museum from Home" program, which offers viewers the opportunity to tour the museum, watch online talks, discover collections, come in contact with Greek Culture, etc.

As part of the collaboration between the Ministry of Culture and Sports and Microsoft, a digital platform has been developed, based on artificial intelligence and virtual reality technologies, for the public's digital tour of the archaeological site of Ancient Olympia. Through the "Common Place" program, the public is invited to undergo the experience of browsing through new technologies.

2022 has been declared the "European Year of Youth", a year dedicated to supporting and highlighting young people who, during the harsh period of the pandemic, have offered and dedicated so much to others. The Youth Dialogue website presents texts, articles, events and actions related to the European Year of Youth 2022 at local, regional, national and European level. The purpose of this website is for young people, and especially young people with fewer opportunities, to understand and make the best possible use of the various opportunities offered to them, in order to acquire important and essential knowledge and skills, to make their voices heard and mainly to upgrade their role as active citizens.