Cybersecurity attacks are one of modern life's greatest threats and their consequences vary greatly by age, sex, and gender. Human trafficking, cyberbullying, disinformation campaigns, and identity theft are just a few examples of the dangers on the internet today. 

As the internet has become an essential part of our daily life, it is important to raise awareness and increase knowledge about online threats and vulnerabilities.

One effective solution to protect from such attacks is the integration of cyber education and basic programming courses into the school curriculum and awareness campaigns on disinformation throughout EU schools and universities. Another creative idea to embed digital literacy in the classroom is to honor and celebrate Digital Security Day in schools, and enhance learning via educational cartoons, especially for younger children.

Besides this, schools need to establish a new role: the digital teacher. The generation that has grown with new communication tools could be the best teacher about these technologies for a new generation that is still growing with and learning in the digital world.

Furthermore, there should also be free online course available in as many European languages as possible, which will focus on issues such as cybersecurity, data protection, digital privacy, and protection against disinformation. The most important is that this course should be taught in simple language in order to be understood by people of different ages and educational backgrounds. 

Citizens should be taught how to think critically and use the internet safely, so that we can reduce the likelihood of being harmed by potential cyber threats. In other words, let's make people digitally literate!

Current teaching methods are not made for everyone and should be renewed in order to involve all students. One method would be to develop a new educational approach based on good practices found across Europe.

Teaching methods need to be adapted to provide better education to all students. One way to do so would be to gather good practices in different countries all across Europe and allow teachers everywhere to learn from others.

Another way would be to integrate more playful ways to transfer knowledge. It is argued that children like to learn new things through play, but that this ease is lost when they have to learn things by heart in school. This shows that the concept of schools in the way they are today is not appealing enough to all pupils. It needs new ways to impart knowledge in a more playful way. 

Students need:

• a more practical, hands-on or creative approach, for example, watching documentaries, films, reading books, poems, or listening to songs.
• an education shaped by what students want to learn about and more importantly, an education that circles the main concerns around the globe.
• more diverse ways of thinking and educating, not just homogenous narrow curriculum.
• spaces to voice opinions or concerns.
• separate exams to cater to different learning styles.

Reforms cannot be top-down. In executing this revamp, young people's voices must be heard. There must be direct contact and consultation with authorities to create a system that is fair, efficient and pleasant for all.

A deep evaluation of every national education system is necessary to discover the best and the worst cases. This analysis allows to create a European education system based on the best criteria. A European education system can contribute to give the same level of education to all European citizens, which is very important because it can ensure the same background and the same level of knowledge to all young people starting their careers in the working system.

Many argue that exams are now designed in such a way that students cram their materials and forget the content the next day already. Exams might not validly measure what students are capable of when they enter their first job. The factual knowledge of a student should be measured during their learning process, the application of their knowledge is best tested when they work on projects in the field.

There are many forms of transatlantic cooperation, but opportunities for young people as well as high school and university students need to be strengthened. Therefore, the EU should develop a mobility program that will enable American students to learn about the culture of different EU member states, the cultural diversity of nations and the institutional system.

To improve and strengthen ties between the EU and the US, a framework for educational exchange opportunities should be created. It would give young people from both the US and the EU a chance to experience a different way of life, through work or internship placements, abroad study programs or other cultural exchange activities.

Getting to know determined young people in Europe and working together for a better future will make sure that transatlantic cooperation will remain sustainable in the future as well.The program should therefore be open to high school and college students from North America. It could for example include a program where participants live with a host family in a member state.

Studying in the US is costly, and not everybody is able to afford the experience. To increase accessibility, some of the existing Erasmus funding could be repurposed to support European students undertaking exchange in the US.

The knowledge acquired in kindergarten and school has an impact on our entire lives. That is why it is very important to emphasise the topic of environmental protection, climate change and sustainable development in the school curricula: That way, we can make sure that every citizen has the information needed to help protect the environment.

The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the need for digital tools in education.

More specifically, we should: 

• Apply an electronic system for tracking student results across all member states in order to facilitate student exchanges between EU countries and simplify the university admission process. 
• Adopt a digital admission portal for all universities within the EU. In other words, this means the creation of a digital platform, where all admission documents can be uploaded and sent out to institutions. This will motivate students to take part in exchange programs and study abroad as well as simplify the search for higher education.

• Introduce digital textbooks in schools since this could eliminate the cost of the printing process and help our economy.

Regarding the conditions for the above, we need to have good internet access in all rural areas, a unified digital tracking system, and a unified digital portal for all EU higher education institutions.

It is also crucial to make sure that every family has access to digital gadgets and tools. Also, it is important to develop both students' as well as their teachers' digital skills because the digital world is highly integrated in our lives now. Teachers should be provided with support – both human resources and quality practical trainings – in order to be able to develop the quality of their own teachings.

In addition, we also need to teach how to use the internet in a secure and ethical way. The internet is a great opportunity to learn and communicate but bears many dangers at the same time. Kids need to be prepared to know how to behave in the online environment as well as how they can protect themselves. That they can only learn in schools.

Curricula in schools need to be updated to ensure schools are fit for modern, digital age. Ministers of education should rethink their policies after the pandemic, and ensure that educational systems are fit for future challenges and online, remote lessons.

The EU could subsidize technological equipment (computers and other devises) in schools across the EU, where pupils receive computers and online materials, instead of hundreds of books every year. High-tech equipment can be cheaper and lighter than classical workbooks and student textbooks.

Technology and artificial Intelligence cannot replace teachers, but they can make lessons more interesting and efficient. Internet and other technological solutions should be installed in schools and universities to improve performance. School teachers should also be retrained to use more innovative methods and be equipped with IT skills.

Of course, we must also provide students with IT skills – but we must be wary that computer science is much more than learning how to code. It also means digital skills: Understanding how the Internet works, understanding how to analyze data and their relationships, and knowing the implications of these analyses for the individual and for society.

Newly created sources of funding such as a potential EU-wide plastic tax should be used to increase funding for youth projects. An example would be Interrail which allows young people to travel across Europe.

If we make institutions such as schools and universities eco-friendly, our younger generation will become used to leading an almost climate-neutral lifestyle and living with minimum waste.

With this, we would be able to implement the same strategies in our work environments, and our homes simultaneously, while influencing older generations in society.

A small first step could be to require everyone to learn how to separate waste and incorporate the practice into our daily routine. Students could also be encouraged to participate in environmental activities such as beach, city centres and community clean-ups.

These allowances should not come in the form of grants that are conditional on parents' income or place limitations on rent.

Citizens will only agree with strict policies if they understand why they are necessary. That is why the EU needs to fund more climate journalism projects: the more impactful the communication, the more educated the population will be. This will translate into more public pressure towards companies, as they will be held accountable for their environmental effect.

Every student in Europe should know about their human rights and how to protect them. It is essential to organize campaigns in schools and universities, organize online webinars and prepare case studies for teachers and educators. Teachers should receive further training on this topic and policymakers must reinforce that by incorporating rights into education, everyone can benefit from an increased awareness of human rights.

Defenders of human rights need a higher level of support across the EU. We have to think globally and act locally and apply this method in member states.

Youth unemployment is a big issue. 35 % of those who graduate from secondary school are unemployed, the main reason being that they don't have the competences and skills to enter the workforce.

To solve this, we must acknowledge that not everyone fits into the higher education system. More effort should be put into opening vocational schools for those who want to learn skills in different professions – not just ones that require academic qualifications.

If the value of vocational education and its institutions is promoted, young people will have an incentive to pick from a variety of professions, including professions within construction, plumbing or other trades.

As a block, the Union should deepen its ties with developing countries. Through investments, the funding of schools and institutions promoting education, young people would benefit from increased quality of life, and the global standing of the European Union would simultaneously be raised. It would allow young students to learn about the core values of the EU – such as democracy, gender equality, and respect for human rights – and possibly make it easier for them to continue their professional journey in Member States of the Union.

Let's motivate businesses not to lay off workers; with rising unemployment rates, young people will find it even harder to find work. Let's look beyond economic benefits and expand social welfare. Specific social groups such as people with disabilities, the elderly, the long-term unemployed and young people without adequate training should be supported through state programs to reduce social injustice and marginalisation. The forthcoming European strategy for education, training and employment should focus on human beings with the sole purpose of improving their quality of life.

Young people in the EU often leave their countries and move abroad to find suitable jobs with good salaries, since such jobs are often not available in their home countries. EU funding for projects that create job placement opportunities locally will help decrease the risk of brain drain.

DiscoverEU allows young people to explore Europe and feel more European by traveling Europe by train. So far, the opportunity has only been granted to a selected few though: This needs to change. Funding for DiscoverEU must be increased so that more young people can profit from the opportunity.

The European Union should use trains to offer a sustainable transport option for students on the Erasmus+ program. It must cover at least one round-trip between the country of origin and the host country. This can be included in a pilot project that will only fund either passages to neighboring countries or journeys shorter than 10 hours in total. That way, the Union will be able to test the program's performance before launching a more comprehensive policy. In addition, a green transport card' for Erasmus+ students should be created that will provide discounts for eco-friendly forms of transport.

If we want to prepare students for adult life, the education system can not be solely focused on memorizing concepts and repeating them them during exams. Students need to be exposed to situations that come out of the ordinary so they can learn how to adapt to anything, which would be a very useful tool for the future and would help them boost creativity. Teamwork and leadership should also be taught, because learning how to work as a team is something completely necessary for the future.

Since it will be easier and easier in the future to access knowledge within seconds, it will become less important to have learned a lot of knowledge by heart. It will therefore be more important to know where to find knowledge. In addition, soft skills to improve human interactions (which cannot be replaced by computers) will become increasingly important. The education system should prepare for these changes. Teamwork and leadership should also be taught, because learning how to work as a team is something very necessary for the future.

Furthermore, a lot of knowledge that is needed in everyday life is not necessarily taught in school. This includes topics such as transport, job applications and career opportunities, taxes and finance, sustainable lifestyles and mental health.

However, these are important for social life. It is assumed that this knowledge is developed at home or on the student's own initiative, which leads to injustice as not everyone has the same opportunities to learn outside of school. Therefore, schools should also include such topics in their curriculum to ensure greater equity between all pupils.

This expanded curriculum would also include more on how to be a responsible citizen in our society. Many of the problems we currently have in our society, such as climate change or increasing social injustice, can be attributed to the fact that individual citizens do not feel responsible for the importance of their actions. In school, one could therefore organize lessons on topics such as how products are made and how waste is sorted in order to better convey how our society is structured.

There is a lack of female role models for young girls to look up to within school curriculum. These role models should be promoted from an early age so that girls can feel inspired about their potential. Girls should also learn about the potential gender-specific issues they may encounter as an adult woman.

University professors should be hired only if they meet a mandatory 4-year minimum of professional practice in the field that they are academic experts in. This will bridge the gap between theoretical academia and actual, professional education and give the students the best information about their industries.

In order to spread the EU experience and best practices in the sphere of education, culture, youth and sports, it would be relevant to establish EU youth hubs in Eastern Partnership countries. It would be beneficial for the youth of these countries to have places where they can meet the EU representatives, learn about best practices in the education, culture and sports and to implement initiatives under the auspices of such a platform.

Smoking on campus grounds should be banned widely so that young people are not incentivised to do it. Moreover, schools should promote more information campaigns about the disadvantages of smoking and drinking alcohol. 

Give students the opportunity to complete an internship at national institutions with scholarships and other sources of funding. Not everyone can afford to take part in an unpaid internship. We need to give equal access to such positions.

There should be further enhancement of Erasmus+ in a more holistic, inclusive manner, for example through more consideration of financial backgrounds.

There should be more opportunities for EU students to study and work abroad as well as an after-Erasmus+ short documentation for every participants, so that the exchange of culture and experiences will be available for all. Erasmus exchanges are at the heart of the EU's norm-setting soft power and should be upgraded as such.

Furthermore, better funded scholarships should be made available, especially for those from Eastern Partnership countries. There should also be more opportunities for exchanges between EU countries and countries which are part of the Eastern Partnership (Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine).

Such could for example be "regional exchange trips" during which young people get to visit one another to make the connection between the regions more vivid and promote cultural exchange.

The EU must promote the Union's values among all students of school-going age.

Instead of focusing excessively on highly specialized subjects such as math and history, students should be given a practical education with emphasis on the challenges of today's world.

Students should learn about:

• Democracy and participation: Young people do not participate in civic life as much as older citizens and are overly reliant on the work of previous generations when it comes to e.g. human rights.
• Politics: It is important for young people to have more information about politics, so that in the future they can make free choices based on knowledge of the different existing ideologies.
• Arts and culture: Art is typically undervalued. Arts and culture must play a leading role in teaching so that students discover the magical world of creation.
• Volunteering: Children should learn about both giving and receiving, especially when there are others who need it more than some do.
• Love and respect: The planet needs every young person to unite and fight climate change, pollution, human rights violations etc.

Since beginning of the pandemic, everyone was waiting for invention of a vaccine, because it is meant to be the only way of returning to the normal, pre-Covid life. We now have several types of vaccines, but there are people who oppose the vaccination.

In Georgia, anti-vaxxer movement is quite strong. In many cases the cause of this is lack of knowledge. Many people think that vaccine is dangerous. Local authorities should organise events, online meetings, and advertise to raise awareness about the COVID-19 vaccination and its benefits.

Schools should provide comprehensive education to fight discrimination.

One way to do this is to create a more progressive sex education that teaches gender, sex and sexuality in all its forms. here is currently too much bullying and harassment on queers and allies, making children feel unsafe. Children should also be educated about racism, especially in countries with a dominant majority ethnicity.

Furthermore, students should have interactive lessons where they discuss gender and racial stereotypes at school. School education should include interactive discussion lessons during which students can talk about gender and racial stereotypes.

Finally, schools should never be allowed to refuse or discriminate students based on their race, religion, sexual orientation or ideals.

A school's most important goals should be making students more informed and aware of the surrounding world and developing critical mind, and helping students to understand and accept what may seem “different”.

European citizens should have a better understanding of how the EU works and what the benefits of being an EU citizen are. 

People from across the EU - especially in the suburbs - should be brought up as Europeans. While it is wonderful to belong to a certain culture, identity or nationality, we must also remember what brings us together. 

Lessons on democracy and European values should be imparted on Europeans from a young age, and people should be reminded of their right and duty to vote. For example, pupils and students should be taught about the rule of law, one of the key pillars in our democracy. It is also necessary to apply different types and formats of education according to the age group.

Pupils should also be taught about European history and the various cultures of the EU, particularly the cultures of those who are geographically further from them. This will make the EU stronger and more self-reliant, and ensure students are more aware of the importance of the EU in their own lives and the opportunities it offers them. 

Furthermore, trips should be organized for young people to visit EU institutions such as the European Parliament, so that they can get a first-hand insight into how the EU works. This has the added benefit of bringing young people together. We should also inform people about the benefits of the EU to counter manipulation by other powers.

Euroscepticism often arises from a lack of knowledge about the EU. To explain the EU to citizens, we should have a playful and colourful mascot who will communicate the EU in an interesting way. For example, the EU could consider reviving Captain Euro.

Children face many dangers online, including online abuse and leakage of sensitive data such as sexually explicit images. To protect children, the age of users creating profiles on social media platforms should be verified through a government-issued ID document.