During the Educatech Expo, CNED presented the progress of its PIA Digital Academy project, supported by the General Secretariat for Innovation (SGPI) as part of the France 2030 investment plan.
Launched in June 2020 with a budget of €14.8 million, the PIA Digital Academy has allowed CNED to model and deploy innovative services for enhanced support of its learners. This transformation aligns with the goals of modularity, differentiation, and individualization of educational paths, which are at the core of enriching the pedagogical practices of the institution.
PIA Digital Academy as an Innovation Catalyst at CNED
Funds provided by SGPI have accelerated the transformation of CNED’s offerings with the latest EdTech innovations. Out of the nine innovations tested between 2021 and 2023, five have already crossed the threshold of generalization.
Among them are initiatives such as the Flash Révisions application for micro-learning-based revision, the use of memory imprinting with Domoscio, self-training for oral communication with Interview App, remote exam surveillance, and digitization of copies with Docaposte. These innovations cater to a wide range of students, from primary to high school, representing a significant step forward in improving both CNED’s pedagogical model and the learning experience offered to its learners.
In line with its role as a complementary institution, CNED plans to share the knowledge produced by these innovations and their resulting developments with the entire educational community.
Collaboration between CNED and EdTech for Maximizing Solution Utility
The deployment of the PIA Digital Academy was made possible through a cooperative approach between CNED and EdTech startups. This approach brought together the innovative approach of startups and their mastery of the latest technologies with CNED’s capacity for massive deployment.
With its experience and in-depth knowledge of education and training challenges, CNED guided these innovations toward practical and effective applications, ensuring that each technological advance aligns perfectly with the real needs of learners.
Collaboration with certain EdTech companies has also enriched CNED with crucial knowledge for its future developments, particularly in Artificial Intelligence with Stellia, adaptive pathways with EvidenceB and Educlever, and mobile learning with Nomad.
CNED will continue its innovation policy, making the development of AI its priority
With the support of the General Secretariat for Investment, CNED intends to continue developing the PIA Digital Academy in the coming years, focusing on three main development axes:
- Designing asynchronous adaptive pathways in line with learner needs, leveraging the potential of AI and experiences with EdTech;
- Using learning data and developing AI to improve the quality of remote support and offer enriched pedagogical features;
- Research and development in emerging technologies such as virtual reality to create new pedagogical models.
Thanks to the financial support of the General Secretariat for Investment, CNED is committed to making education and training more accessible, personalized, and effective. We are laying the foundations for a future where every learner should be able to maximize their potential, regardless of their cognitive profile, geographical location, or specific needs. This step represents significant progress toward an education system ready to meet the challenges of the future.
Jean-Noël Tronc, CEO of CNED
Innovation partners of CNED within the framework of the PIA Digital Academy:
- Dataiku led by Florian Douetteu,
- Domoscio led by Benoit Praly,
- Educlever led by Michael Hiroux,
- EvidenceB led by Thierry de Vulpillières,
- InterviewApp led by Julien Dargaisse,
- Nomad Education led by Caroline Maîtrot,
- Stellia led by Samy Lahbabi,
- VR Connection led by Alexandre Ibanez.
Source: CNED, press release of November 20, 2023.
