Strong Foundations for Sustainable Digital Teaching in Austria
The first DigiSET country report finds that Austria has well-developed structures for digital education and sustainability, but these areas are not yet systematically integrated.
A strong starting point
Austria has established frameworks and initiatives for both digital education and Education for Sustainable Development. The digi.kompP framework provides a national reference for teachers’ digital competences and was expanded in 2026 to include artificial intelligence and sustainability. Programmes such as ÖKOLOG, eEducation Austria, Virtual PH, and national AI training initiatives provide further foundations for professional development.
Where gaps remain
The report’s central finding is that digital education and sustainability largely operate in parallel. Sustainable digital literacy is not yet established as an integrated concept across teacher education.
Further development is particularly needed in critical AI literacy, including algorithmic bias and the ethical and environmental implications of AI. Other gaps concern systems thinking, evaluating the energy use and electronic waste associated with digital technologies, and inclusive and gender-sensitive digital practices. Although open educational resources are included in national competence frameworks, their practical creation, adaptation, licensing, and collaborative use are not yet firmly embedded in initial teacher education.
What happens next
The report recommends connecting digital pedagogy, sustainability, inclusion, and AI ethics through practical and interdisciplinary training. DigiSET will build on Austria’s existing structures while helping to bridge the current divide between digital and sustainability education.
Read the full Austrian country report:
