NextBillion - An Initiative of the William Davidson Institute at the University of Michigan

The numbers are staggering: 1.6 billion students faced learning disruptions as a result of COVID-19 – and half of those did not have access to a computer at home. Without digital access, use, and fluency, students are excluded from access to economic opportunity, education, healthcare and experience worsening discrimination and social isolation. New research shows these effects are lifelong, affecting not just the student but their families’ and communities’ ability to build strong economic futures. Not all interventions are created equal. What do we know about what works – and what doesn’t – for closing the generational digital divide? How can we build robust cohorts of young people skilled in digital literacy and with access to job pathways? What are effective models of closing the “last mile” access gap for educators and students? On 26 July 2023, join us for a conversation showcasing organizations around the world which have been working in their communities to close the generational digital divide, do it equitably, and build solutions that work so youth can use technology to achieve their dreams.