Ombudsperson for Academic Ethics and Procedures of the Republic of Lithuania
Curriculum Vitae Ombudsperson agendaOn May 27–28, the Ombudsperson for Academic Ethics and Procedures of the Republic of Lithuania, Dr. Reda Cimmperman, took part in the Digital Citizenship Education Forum held in Strasbourg (France), where she presented the Ethics Guidelines for Artificial Intelligence in Higher Education.
According to Dr Cimmperman, academic ethics is inseparable from digital literacy and the development of critical thinking – forming the foundation for a resilient, ethical, and inclusive digital society.
“University lecturers, regardless of their discipline, play a crucial role in fostering learners’ ability to evaluate information responsibly and act as informed citizens,” she noted.
This high-level event is one of the flagship initiatives of the Council of Europe marking 2025 as the European Year of Digital Citizenship Education. The Forum was organised by the Directorate General of Democracy and Human Dignity, highlighting the importance of a digital transformation in education grounded in human rights principles.
The “Let’s Act Now!” Digital Citizenship Education Forum gathered around 250 representatives from education, policy, technology, and civil society across Europe to address the challenges democracy faces in the digital age. The aim was to promote multi-stakeholder cooperation, showcase good practices, and contribute to a strategic roadmap for the next five years (2027–2031) to strengthen digital education.
The discussions emphasized that the digital environment provides additional opportunities for learning, but also raises increasing ethical challenges – including risks of plagiarism and the unethical use of artificial intelligence.
The Forum also highlighted the need to enhance technological competencies within academic and research institutions, particularly through the involvement of external experts in the development of ethical and responsible practices.
“In the discussions, the question was raised – does digital education require entirely new competencies, or simply a new perspective on the ones we already have? While opinions varied, there was consensus that education today must be grounded in ethics, human rights, and democratic values,” said Dr. Cimmperman.
More about the Forum:
https://europeanyear2025.coe.int/digital-citizenship-education-forum-lets-act-now
Ethics Guidelines for Artificial Intelligence in Higher Education (in Lithuanian):
https://e-tar.lt/portal/lt/legalAct/56254af0061111efbcbfb318996800a8