As education increasingly moves online, learning platforms have become the digital backbone of schools and organizations. They handle everything from grades and course content to communication and personal data – making them both mission-critical and a potential security risk.

The issue: U.S. cloud laws and legal grey zones

Many popular learning platforms are either American or built on U.S.-based cloud infrastructure. This means they fall under laws like the CLOUD Act, which allows U.S. authorities to demand access to data – even if it’s stored outside the U.S.

For Swedish schools, universities, and companies, this raises serious concerns. Sensitive user data could be exposed to foreign governments, with no transparency and limited recourse.

This is not about fearmongering – it’s about digital sovereignty. About protecting our users, data, and autonomy from political and commercial interests far beyond our control.

The solution: open source and european infrastructure

Open source offers a way forward. With transparent code, we can:

👀 Review and secure it – Identify vulnerabilities and fix them ourselves.

🤩 Host it where we want – On our own servers or with European providers, outside U.S. jurisdiction.

🔓 Avoid vendor lock-in – Customize, adapt, and change providers without restrictions.

👐 Collaborate openly – Shared development leads to better, more sustainable solutions.

We need to act strategically – now

Choosing open source isn’t just a technical decision – it’s a strategic one.

If we want to protect our educational systems long term, we need to build on infrastructure we own and understand. Open source isn’t just a tool – it’s how we build digital confidence and control.

The new tariffs introduced by Trump are just the latest example of how risky it is to depend on non-European actors. But this isn’t just about trade – it’s also about digital infrastructure. When political decisions can change the rules overnight, we must ask ourselves: Should we really allow our workforce data to be managed by providers that can be affected at any moment by political decisions we have no insight into and little ability to influence?

Digital sovereignty is business-critical

For years, Swedish companies and organizations have built their digital infrastructure on solutions from global tech giants. It has been convenient, cost-effective, and efficient – but also risky. Laws like the CLOUD Act allow U.S. authorities to request data from American cloud providers, and trade conflicts can suddenly restrict access to key technologies.

We have built our digital infrastructure on a foundation we do not control.

The education sector is no exception. Many schools and businesses rely on platforms and services that depend on providers outside of Europe. But what happens if regulations change, costs skyrocket, or services suddenly become unavailable?

The business sector must take the lead

It’s time for Swedish businesses to take the lead in securing the digital infrastructure. We cannot wait for the government or the EU to solve this for us.

What can we do?

💰 Invest in European solutions – There are strong, open, and European alternatives in digital education. We must be willing to invest in them.

🔒 Secure our data – By choosing infrastructure where we have full control over where and how data is stored, we reduce the risk of external interference.

📍 Drive innovation locally – Swedish companies have the expertise and resources to develop and support technology tailored to our needs.

👐 Embrace open source – Open-source software provides full transparency, the ability to customize systems to our needs, and the freedom to avoid vendor lock-in. By building and maintaining education platforms based on open source, we ensure long-term sustainability, innovation, and control.

The future is built here and now

This is not about protectionism – it’s about building a sustainable and secure digital future. We have the opportunity to create a stable digital infrastructure on European ground, where we control our own data and systems.

That’s an opportunity we should seize.

In an era where digital education is growing faster than ever, the question of where your data is stored is more relevant than ever. Many LMS solutions are marketed as “secure” and “trusted”, but if you dig deeper, you’ll see that they often rely on servers and storage solutions outside of the EU. What does this mean for your organization?

The risks of hosting outside of Europe

1. Data protection and legislation – If your learning platform is hosted outside of the EU, your data is subject to legislation you have no control over. Countries like the US have laws like the CLOUD Act, which means that US authorities can request access to data stored by companies under US jurisdiction – regardless of where the servers are located.

2. Lack of transparency – Many international LMS providers have complex networks of subcontractors, making it difficult to know who is actually handling your data. What happens in the event of a security incident? Who actually has access to your users’ information?

3. GDPR compliance – The EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) requires that personal data be handled with the highest level of security and transparency. If your platform is located outside the EU, it is your organization that is responsible for ensuring GDPR compliance – a risk that can have both legal and financial consequences.

The solution: 100% European hosting with Moodle

With Sparkfore, you can be sure that your Moodle installation is hosted on servers within the EU, under EU law and GDPR. This means:

✅ Full control over your data – No unexpected third-country transfers.

✅ High performance and stability – Optimized hosting in European data centers.

✅ No risk of foreign data visibility – Your platform is protected by the EU’s strictest security requirements.

The future of digital education must be built on transparency, security and sovereignty. Are you ready to take control of your data?

In today’s fast-paced business environment, it is important to stay ahead of the curve. One way to ensure your team remains competitive is by leveraging mobile learning. With Moodle LMS and its branded app, you can transform your training programs into dynamic, accessible, and engaging experiences.

Why Mobile Learning?

Mobile learning, or m-learning, offers several advantages:

Flexibility: Employees can access training materials anytime, anywhere, fitting learning into their busy schedules.

Engagement: Interactive content, such as quizzes and videos, keeps learners engaged and motivated.

Real-time Updates: Instant access to the latest training materials ensures everyone is on the same page.

Taking learning to the next level

The Moodle Branded App extends the capabilities of Moodle LMS, offering a seamless mobile learning experience. Benefits include that you can have your own Look and Feel by customizing the app with your company’s logo, colors, and unique features and Push Notifications to keep learners informed about new courses, deadlines, and updates.

Did you know that the Moodle Mobile App also provides support for offline learning? And this app is outperforming the competitors in mobile app ratings (on a scale of 1 to 5):

Moodle App: 4.29 🌟

Canvas Student: 4.21

Blackboard Learn: 2.73

Open LMS: 3.72

This comparison is composed by the Moodle App team using https://data.ai, a tool that collects applications stores ratings and consolidates the data into different types of reports.

Success story

In 2024 we released our first Branded Moodle App together with one of our clients. The challenge was to provide employees with an on-demand knowledge base in situations where internet connection might be poor. All content was built with a mobile first approach. To ensure a a clear structure and a good learning experience, the material was thoroughly tested by early adopters. The launch of the Branded App included campaign materials with QR codes promoting the target group to download the App and highlighting its benefits and ease of use.

Conclusion

By integrating Moodle LMS and the branded app into your training strategy, you can provide a flexible, engaging, and effective learning experience for your employees. Embrace the power of mobile learning and watch your team grow in today’s competitive landscape.

In the fast-paced work environment of today, it’s important to be able to learn new skills quickly and effectively. Microlearning has become a popular method to meet these needs. But what is microlearning and why is it so effective?

Microlearning involves breaking down learning content into small, digestible chunks that can be consumed quickly and easily. These chunks can be anything from short videos and articles to infographics and quizzes.

New working methods and changed behaviour

Microlearning is well suited when you want learning to take place in parallel with facing changes. When a company is about to launch new working methods, providing relevant information and training on why and how can be helpful for the desired behavioral change, as it can increase understanding and the willingness to change. It is also beneficial to give opportunities for setting specific, measurable and realistic goals, to help employees focus and work towards behavioral change.

Microlearning with Moodle and Sparkfore’s add-ons

With Sparkfore you can use the Elearnspark activity with interactive features such as hotspot images and simple knowledge tests. The activity has a portrait format that is well suited to be displayed on mobile phones.

Microlearning can be completed anytime, anywhere, making it perfect for professionals with busy schedules. Microlearning can also refer to a delivery method. With Sparkfore Course Messages, you can easily push a series of modules at a specified interval, such as every 10 business days.

Implement microlearning in your organization

To successfully implement microlearning in your company, the following steps are recommended:

Identify needs: Determine which skills and knowledge are most relevant to your employees.

Create relevant content: Develop short, focused training modules that are directly applicable in the work environment. One learning goal per section!

Use technology: Utilize the learning platform to deploy microlearning content.

With the increasing use of mobile devices and digital tools, microlearning with Sparkfore offers a flexible and effective solution for continuous skills development.