International Start of 2026 for the IT Didactics Research Group
The beginning of 2026 has been highly dynamic and internationally oriented for the IT Didactics Research Group at the IT College, Tallinn University of Technology. The first months of the year brought multiple research visits, conference participation, project activities, and proposal submissions across several continents.
Research Activities Across Africa and Asia
January started with international research engagement in both Africa and Asia. Dr. Voldemar Tomusk visited universities in Kenya as part of the research project “Gap Analysis of Kenyan ICT Higher Education and Labour Market Needs with Comparative Reflections on Nigeria and Armenia.” The visit focused on analysing the alignment between ICT higher education programmes and labour market requirements in the region.
At the same time, our PhD student and early-stage researcher Fuad Budagov represented the research group at the 7th International Conference on Advances in Education and Information Technology (AEIT2026) held from 23–25 January 2026 in Sapporo, Hokkaido, Japan. His participation provided an opportunity to share research results and connect with the international EdTech research community.
Expanding Collaboration in Armenia
In February, research activities related to the Gap Analysis project continued in Armenia. Prof. Slavko Rakic visited the American University of Armenia and several companies in Yerevan to explore the relationship between ICT education and industry needs in the region. These meetings contributed to gathering comparative insights that will support the development of recommendations for ICT education systems.
During the same month in Germany, Prof. Janika Leoste and Dr. Voldemar Tomusk participated in the Successful R&I in Europe 2026 – 13th European Networking Event, one of the largest networking events dedicated to Horizon Europe projects. The event provided valuable opportunities to expand international research networks and establish new collaborations for future research initiatives.
Recognition for Research Excellence
The beginning of the year also brought recognition for the research group. During the Gala Event of the School of Information Technologies, a paper authored by Prof. Janika Leoste, Kristel Marmor, Katrin Kangur, and Prof. Kadi Lubi was selected as one of the best papers of 2025 at the school level. This recognition highlights the strong research contribution of the group in the field of educational technologies and digital innovation.
New Project Activities and Deliverables
March started with international collaboration in Athens, Greece, where Prof. Slavko Rakic and Kristel Marmor participated in the kick-off meeting of the CHILD-AI project (Children’s Holistic Initiatives for Literacy and Digital-AI Inclusion). The project focuses on improving AI literacy and digital inclusion among children through research-based educational tools and teacher training.
At the same time, the DITEC project (Didactic Technologies for IT Education) released two new project deliverables, which are now publicly available on the project website: https://ditec.taltech.ee/deliverables/
Strong Start in Research Funding Applications
Alongside research and networking activities, the research group has been highly active in preparing new project proposals. Since the beginning of 2026, the team has submitted:
• 13 Erasmus+ proposals
• 2 Digital Europe proposals
• 2 ESTDEV proposals
• 2 Horizon Europe proposals
The research group is now awaiting the evaluation results of these submissions while continuing the implementation of ongoing projects and research activities.
Looking Ahead
The strong international start of 2026 demonstrates the growing global engagement of the IT Didactics Research Group. With research activities spanning Europe, Africa, and Asia, new collaborations forming, and numerous project proposals submitted, the coming months promise continued progress in advancing research on digital education, IT didactics, and technology-enhanced learning.