National eSkills Strategy 2022–2025 (eSkills Malta Foundation)

Overview

The National eSkills Strategy 2022–2025 establishes Malta’s national policy framework for developing digital skills across society, education and the labour market. It was prepared under the aegis of the eSkills Malta Foundation and launched as part of a cluster of national digital strategies presented at a government conference in November 2022. The Strategy aligns with the EU’s Path to the Digital Decade targets and sets out a four-dimensional model of goals, outcomes, strategic pillars and governance enablers. For an official overview and summary hosted on the EU platform, see the Digital Skills and Jobs Platform entry: Malta - National eSkills Strategy 2022-2025. The Strategy emphasises inclusion, ethics and employability while providing a roadmap of recommended actions for the 2022–2025 period.

Definitions

The Strategy defines core concepts used through its framework: "digital skills" (ranging from basic digital literacy to advanced ICT professional competences); "digital inclusion" (measures ensuring access and use across demographic groups); "reskilling/upskilling" (targeted changes to workforce competencies); "ICT professionals" (specialists working in ICT roles); and "governance enablers" (mechanisms such as benchmarking, funding coordination and stakeholder collaboration that support implementation). Definitions mirror EU terminology used by the European Coalition for Digital Skills and Jobs and the Digital Competence Framework (DigComp) and are oriented to practical programmatic delivery rather than creating new legal definitions.

Governance and Institutional Framework

The Strategy assigns coordination and implementation roles to a multi‑stakeholder national coalition chaired and coordinated by the eSkills Malta Foundation (now integrated into the Malta Digital Innovation Authority). Governance enablers include leadership and shared responsibility across central government ministries (notably the Ministry for the Economy and the Ministry for Education), education providers (University of Malta, MCAST), industry partners and civil society. The Strategy calls for a national coordination mechanism to oversee action plans, monitor progress against targets, align funding and reduce duplication. For the Foundation’s published materials and resources see eSkills Malta Foundation - Strategy 2022-2025 and for the subsequent institutional update see the MDIA press release on integration: MDIA: eSkills integration press release.

Key Focus Areas

The Strategy identifies four strategic pillars: Education (teacher training, curriculum evolution, digital pedagogies); Society (digital inclusion, eSafety, lifelong learning); Workforce (reskilling and upskilling, SMEs adoption, labour market matching); and ICT professionals (talent pipeline, career promotion, advanced skills development). Cross‑cutting themes include ethical use of technology, gender balance in ICT roles, and a focus on future skills such as data literacy, cybersecurity awareness, and AI literacy. Actions range from creating targeted training pathways and certification streams to awareness campaigns and employer incentives for workforce training. The Strategy also stresses alignment with sectoral needs (e.g., finance, health, public administration) and supports initiatives that make it easier for employers to find and hire ICT talent. For context on cross-cutting digital strategies refer to Malta’s Digital Education Strategy 2024–2030 summary on the EU platform: Digital Education Strategy 2024-2030.

Implementation Framework

Implementation relies on coordinated actions delivered through programmes, projects and funding instruments. The Strategy proposes a multi‑tier implementation model: national coordination (strategy stewardship and monitoring), sectoral engagement (education, industry, public sector), and operational delivery (training providers, universities, VET centres, private training organisations). Funding is expected from national budgets and EU programmes (e.g., ESF, Digital Europe) where applicable. The eSkills Malta Foundation was the central coordinator during the strategy’s life cycle; following government decisions published in late 2024, the Foundation’s activities were incorporated into MDIA from 1 January 2025, intending to streamline delivery and better align skills activities with innovation and regulatory initiatives (see MDIA press release).

Monitoring and Evaluation

The Strategy prescribes regular monitoring using agreed indicators (e.g., basic digital skills coverage, share of ICT specialists in employment, gender balance metrics, participation rates in reskilling programmes). The Strategy envisages periodic reporting, benchmarking against EU targets (Digital Decade indicators), and use of the Digital Skills and Jobs Platform as a repository for country-level reporting and updates. The monitoring model emphasises iterative review so that actions can be updated to address emerging skills gaps, evolving technologies (AI/cybersecurity) and labour market signals.

Penalties, Liability, and Appeals

The Strategy is a policy and programme roadmap and does not establish criminal sanctions or administrative fines. Consequences for non‑delivery are operational rather than punitive: participating entities that fail to meet cooperation obligations may lose eligibility for certain coordinated funding streams, priority access to government programmes, or inclusion in recognised national initiatives. Any formal enforcement measures would arise from separate sectoral regulations (e.g., education accreditation, public procurement or funding agreements). The Strategy recommends transparent grievance and escalation procedures within coordination bodies to resolve disputes among partners.

Relationship to Other Instruments

The Strategy is intended to operate alongside and align with other national digital and sectoral strategies: Malta’s Digital Decade roadmap, the National AI Strategy, the Digital Education Strategy 2024–2030, Malta’s Cybersecurity/National Cyber Strategy and sectoral roadmaps (finance, health). It explicitly references coordination to avoid duplication and to amplify synergies (for example, teacher training aligned with national education strategy; AI literacy coordinated with AI 2030 initiatives). See relevant strategy pages on the EU platform for summaries and linkage: Digital Skills and Jobs Platform - National Initiatives.

International Alignment

The Strategy aligns with EU targets (Digital Decade 2030) and EU coalitions (European Coalition for Digital Skills and Jobs). It references European competence frameworks (e.g., DigComp) and seeks to leverage EU funding programmes and best practices. International alignment also informs content (e.g., cybersecurity training aligned to international standards) and benchmarking against EU indicators reported via the Digital Skills and Jobs Platform (Digital Skills and Jobs Platform).

Implementation Timeline

Phase	Activity	Indicative Date
Adoption & Launch	National launch at government conference, multi-stakeholder agreement	2022-11-30
Early Implementation	Operationalisation of priority actions; mobilisation of funding	2023 Q1–Q4
Midline Review	Benchmarks and KPI review; adjustment of actions	2024-07-27
Institutional Integration	Integration of eSkills Foundation functions into MDIA	2025-01-01
Final Review	Evaluation of outcomes and recommendations for next strategy cycle	2025 Q4

Compliance Checklist

Action	Responsible	Status/Notes
Adopt national action plan aligned to pillars	eSkills Malta Foundation / MDIA	Adopted (2022) — coordination ongoing
Deliver teacher upskilling	Ministry for Education, Universities, MCAST	Programmes ongoing (see Digital Education Strategy link)
Run inclusion & eSafety campaigns	Public bodies & NGOs	Planned and funded via national budgets and EU grants
Monitor KPIs vs Digital Decade	National coordination body / MDIA	Quarterly/annual reporting recommended

Sources and References

Source	Type
Malta - National eSkills Strategy 2022-2025 (Digital Skills and Jobs Platform)	Primary Source (official EU summary linking to national materials)
eSkills Malta Foundation - National eSkills Strategy 2022-2025 (official strategy page)	Primary Source
National eSkills Strategy - Factsheet (eSkills Malta Foundation)	Primary Source
MDIA press release — eSkills Foundation integration	Primary Source

Malta's National eSkills Strategy 2022–2025 is a national policy roadmap designed to significantly enhance digital skills across the country's population, workforce, and education system. It applies to a broad range of stakeholders, including government ministries, educational institutions, industry partners, and civil society organisations, all working together to foster a digitally competent nation.

The strategy, which became effective in November 2022 and runs through 2025, outlines Malta's priorities for developing digital capabilities. Its core focus areas include: - **Education:** Improving digital literacy and advanced skills through teacher training and curriculum updates. - **Society:** Ensuring digital inclusion for all citizens, promoting online safety, and encouraging lifelong learning. - **Workforce:** Supporting employees with reskilling and upskilling initiatives, helping small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) adopt digital tools, and matching skills to labour market needs. - **ICT Professionals:** Building a strong talent pipeline and promoting careers in information and communication technology.

Coordination for the strategy, initially led by the eSkills Malta Foundation, has since January 2025 been integrated into the Malta Digital Innovation Authority (MDIA). This shift aims to streamline efforts and align digital skills development with broader innovation goals.

It's important to note that this strategy is a policy framework, not a traditional law. It does not impose criminal sanctions or administrative fines on individuals or businesses. Instead, its "enforcement" relies on cooperation: entities failing to meet their commitments might lose eligibility for coordinated funding streams, priority access to government programmes, or inclusion in national initiatives. The key practical pitfall or surprise for many is that compliance is driven by collaboration and access to resources, rather than legal mandates. Its success hinges on the collective commitment of all involved parties to achieve Malta's digital ambitions.

Malta - National eSkills Strategy

Summary

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