Who we are

DEEP is a research consortium dedicated to exploring the foundations, challenges, and implications of digital transformation in Swiss primary schools. Comprised of seven universities, DEEP represents the institutional, disciplinary, methodological, and regional diversity of Swiss educational research. The École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL) and the Zurich University of Teacher Education (PHZH) jointly manage the DEEP Coordination Office, ensuring strategic and operational alignment. DEEP is part of the Jacobs Foundation's Education in Digitality initiative and complements other initiatives such as Chance Digitality, led by Staatslabor, and ProEdu. The research and transfer activities will be carried out in two four-year phases from 2024 to 2031.

What we do

DEEP’s mission is to advance knowledge regarding an equitable and sustainable digitalization of education in the early years of schooling. Through collaborative research and translational activities, the consortium seeks to contribute meaningful insights and practical solutions to address the challenges and potentials of digital transformation. The aim of the consortium is to promote global knowledge about learning and education in the digital age, to contribute a culture of evidence, and to encourage the adoption of this knowledge in school practice.

Equity

The overarching ambition behind DEEP is to produce and provide actionable knowledge on how to enhance learning experiences and outcomes for all children in the digital era, independent of their social and cultural background and acknowledging the diversity of their talents, needs, and interests.
As digital transformation reshapes Swiss primary education, it brings both opportunities and risks. While technology has the potential to enhance learning and broaden access to resources, it also poses the danger of deepening existing inequalities. We aim to understand and mitigate the risks of digital transformation, such as the digital divide, while leveraging technology to foster inclusion, variability and fairness in learning environments.

Digitalization

With technologies, skills needed, and societal expectations evolving constantly, digitalization is a moving target. The speed of change challenges schools and educators to keep up pace while ensuring that no student is left behind. It requires continuous adaptation, innovation, and a commitment to equity, as new tools and approaches reshape teaching and learning. Navigating this dynamic environment demands not only pedagogical and technical proficiency and technical infrastructure but also a forward-thinking mindset to prepare students for a future that is increasingly difficult to predict.

Translation

DEEP is commited to the translational ambition of research. Translational research in this context bridges the gap between academic research and practical implementation. Together with teachers, learners and other educational stakeholders, we explore ways in which our practice-oriented research can be incorporated into everyday school life.
Digital transformation in education requires more than theoretical insights; it demands actionable strategies that address the local real-world challenges faced by schools, teachers, and students. DEEP is committed to generating translational evidence—research outcomes that are informative for diverse classroom settings — and to actively faciliating the adoption of this evidence in practice.