EU Code Week 2026 opens with a debate on coding in the age of AI

EU Code Week, a campaign that brings coding activities to schools and communities, opened its 2026 edition on 12 October 2026 with an online event.

The European Commission said on its digital strategy site that the event was streamed from Brussels from 14:00 to 16:00. It said Code Week 2026 runs from 10 to 25 October with activities across Europe. The theme is "Building Resilience, Connecting & Empowering Communities in the Age of AI".

We need to keep on inspiring to show every child that they have a place in the digital future.

A summary on the Code Week blog, published on 14 October, says one panel asked why coding still matters as AI tools spread. Speakers from Bebras, SAP and Cisco Networking Academy took part. They said computational thinking and the habit of checking results that AI produces are becoming more valuable. Computational thinking means breaking a problem into small steps that a computer could follow.

For teachers, the blog lists several ways to join before 25 October. They can run a coding workshop, introduce pupils to AI or join a local activity. The launch also presented four free Minecraft Education lessons on AI literacy that come with training resources for teachers. A new Velocity Prize is described as a global Minecraft Education challenge for students aged 13 to 18.

Henna Virkkunen, an Executive Vice-President of the European Commission, sent a video message. So did Roberta Metsola, President of the European Parliament. The blog post does not give a closing date for the Velocity Prize. Neither page says how many schools or learners are expected to take part this year.

Sources

1. European Commission | EU Code Week 2026 launches with focus on digital skills in the age of AI
2. EU Code Week | EU Code Week 2026 Launch Event: Watch the Highlights
3. EU Code Week | Join the EU Code Week 2026 Launch Event