BACKGROUND & OBJECTIVESDigital sovereignty is a new concept in the digital era suggesting that parties should have sovereignty over their own digital data. On an individual level, digital sovereignty demonstrates the capacity of individuals to own their personal data and control its use. According to relevant empirical privacy studies (Acquisti et al., 2015), it is very clear that individuals find it difficult to make reasoned and rational decisions on their personal data due to behavioral bias and the complexity of the issue. Moreover, individuals demonstrate significant uncertainty about the importance of privacy due to difficulties in evaluating the relevant consequences derived from the intangible nature of the privacy harms. When it comes to VET teachers / trainers and their activities, the aspects of digital sovereignty and data / privacy protection become of even higher importance. Therefore, supporting VET teachers/trainers in becoming sovereign of their digital data and in enhancing their digital security skills serves a two-fold purpose:1.On an individual level, VET teachers/trainers will improve and enhance their knowledge and the available tools that will help them control and evaluate the use of their personal digital data and history.2.On a societal level, VET teachers/trainers will be enabled to teach and promote safer and more responsible use of digital technology.And this is exactly where DiSCVET project steps in aiming to develop a new innovative form of training content along with an online simulation platform that will empower VET teachers/trainers throughout Europe to develop and enhance their digital sovereignty and digital security skills as well as to enrich their portofolio with relevant training materials for teaching others on digital security topics. Moreover, through the improvement of the VET teachers/trainers’ skills, the enhancement of VET organizations’ capacity for providing safer and more responsible digital education.The project’s main target groups will be:VET teachers/trainers (direct target group)VET organizationsEducation providers and organizationsExperts and decision makers at regional/national/European level and relevant networks of interest.ACTIVITIES & METHODOLOGYDuring the initial planning phases of this project and application, a detailed need analysis supported the fact that there is currently no single digital sovereignty and security competence framework for Europe. Therefore, the Framework of Digital Security Competences (IO1) will define the key components of competences needed by VET teachers/trainers to effectively integrate digital sovereignty and security protocols into their localized contexts, as well as to provide and validate an EU reference framework for developing and evaluating digital security competences. Based on the key skills and competences recognized and included in the VET teachers/trainers Digital Sovereignty Competences Framework, IO2 activities will focus on the development of an innovative training material aiming to enable VET teachers/trainers develop the necessary competences in order to increase the level of their digital sovereignty as well be able to train other people within their work.Last, but not least, through IO3project’s target group will have the chance to put the knowledge they acquired into practice by trying to successfully cope up with the interactive digital security simulation exercises.RESULTS & IMPACTDISCVET project’s tangible results will be:- A newly established framework of the necessary digital sovereignty and digital security skills and competences for VET teachers/trainers and other individuals;- An innovative micro-learning training material on Digital Sovereignty Competences;- An online platform through which VET teachers/trainers will be able to respond and react to various scenarios of cyber-attacks and digital security breaches;- An interactive Digital Sovereignty Toolbox for VET teachers/trainers which shall include all aforementioned tools and materials and ensuring a high level of accessibility and transferability of the project’s outputs and outcomes.Moreover, DiSCVET project is expected to have significant intangible results:- Increased capacity of VET teachers/trainers to develop more secure and fortified digital education environments and services;- Increased capacity of VET teachers/trainers for promoting and teaching a safer use of the digital technology;- Increased capacity of VET teachers/trainers for ensuring the protection of their and others’ personal digital data;- Increased self-awareness and critical thinking relating to the use of digital devices and the forms of digital communication;- Understanding and awareness of the effective application of digital security measures in day-to-day work and specific situations.