Establishing Global Standards for Digital Intelligence

The Social Innovation

Magnitude of the Problem, and its Root Causes

The digital divide and lack of digital intelligence education expose children and societies to risks ranging from cyberbullying and misinformation to AI-driven inequalities. Billions lack access to structured digital literacy, and even where programs exist, there is little standardization or evidence-based practice.

Some of the key factors contributing to the magnitude of the problem include:

• Fragmented approaches to digital education across countries and sectors
• Lack of global standards and scalable, adaptable tools
• Insufficient policy prioritization and cross-sector collaboration

Based on their systems change analysis, the DQ Institute has made it a mission to develop and push for the adoption of global standards (digital literacy, AI literacy, and child protection) so that any country, educator, or parent may access high-quality, low-cost digital intelligence education, for all, especially children.  

“Ashoka and the Globalizer program provided a rare space for civic sector leaders to step back from daily operations and think strategically, much like leaders in the corporate world. The process helped me reframe challenges, consider new perspectives, and connect with thought partners who continue to support me long after the program. That network and structured reflection have been invaluable resources on my journey.” 

Strategy to Catalyze a Network of Changemakers towards the Targeted Mission

The DQ Institute’s strategy evolved from direct delivery of digital citizenship education to enabling global networks of changemakers through standards, platforms, and evidence. By positioning itself as a neutral infrastructure provider, DQ Institute empowers local actors—governments, educators, and organizations—to lead digital intelligence initiatives tailored to their contexts.  

Some of the tactics they deployed towards the mission as a part of the strategy include:  

1) Building Innovations, Evidence Generation and Open Knowledge Sharing to Inform & Involve Allies across Sectors  

A core tactic has been the transparent and open sharing of research, data, and program models. DQ Institute publishes its methodologies, reports, and findings openly online, allowing others to learn from and build upon its work.  

Some of these innovations include:

• DQ (Digital Intelligence): Beyond IQ and EQ, DQ (Digital Intelligence) represents critical skills needed to thrive in the digital age. DQ is defined as “a comprehensive set of technical, cognitive, meta-cognitive, and socio-emotional competencies that are grounded in universal moral values and that enable individuals to face the challenges and harness the opportunities of digital life.”  Its framework aggregated across more than 100 prior leading frameworks about AI-digital literacy and skills. It lays out a common language, structure, and taxonomy around digital literacy, skills, and readiness that can be benchmarked, referenced, and adopted across nations and sectors worldwide.
• “Powered by DQ” AI-enabled platform: This innovative tool allows local partners—including NGOs, ministries of education, and private sector actors—to instantly design, adapt, and deliver their own digital intelligence curricula and assessments, aligned with 100+ frameworks at 1% cost. By lowering technical barriers and providing customizable content, the platform democratizes access to high-quality digital education and enables rapid localization. For example, partners in different countries have used the platform to create national toolkits and certification programs, tailored to their unique cultural and policy environments.  
• Child Protection in Cyberspace Index: a global tool that measures and benchmarks countries’ efforts to safeguard children online. The Index, supported by the Global Cybersecurity Forum and funded by the Saudi Crown Prince Foundation, provides actionable insights for policymakers and has become a reference point for national and international strategies.  
• AI Readiness Framework: a comprehensive assessment and benchmarking framework designed to help countries, organizations, and individuals evaluate and enhance their preparedness for the AI era. The tool assesses AI readiness across several key dimensions, including digital infrastructure, human capital, policy and governance, innovation ecosystems, and societal impact.

This openness has led to widespread replication—even by organizations and governments that do not formally partner with DQ Institute—and has established the Institute as a global thought leader in digital intelligence. Its data and frameworks are now referenced in international standards, government policies, and educational curricula across more than 100 countries.

2) Consulting & Collaborating with Partners to Spread Awareness, Catalyze Adoption & Advocate for Standardization

From the outset, DQ Institute recognized that technical solutions alone would not suffice—there needed to be a fundamental shift in how societies perceive digital intelligence and online safety. Yuhyun Park and her team strategically framed child protection as an urgent and universal issue, often referring to child cyber-risks as a “pandemic” that affects every child and community. and promoting AI-digital literacy as must-have human skills to address digital inclusion. Through global campaigns, high-profile partnerships, and persistent advocacy, DQ Institute has elevated digital intelligence from a niche educational topic to a core component of children’s rights and national development agendas.  

DQ Institute has consistently prioritized a multi-stakeholder approach, convening diverse actors from government, academia, the private sector, and civil society. Rather than leading every initiative, the Institute acts as a facilitator and enabler—sharing tools, data, and expertise while encouraging local ownership. For instance, after supporting the creation of the DQ framework, DQ Institute stepped back to let local champions—such as ministries of education or national NGOs—take the lead in implementation and advocacy. This approach has fostered sustainable, context-driven change and built a “network of networks” that amplifies impact.  

So far, they have worked with over 100 organizations in over 80 countries to implement their framework.  

Their work has also included advising the World Economic Forum, G20 Civil Society, national governments, and global companies including TikTok, Snapchat, and Aramco with their policies on digital intelligence. 

3) Co-creating Global Standards with Strategic Players for Institutionalization

During the 2018 World Economic Forum Sustainable Development Impact Summit in New York– the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), the IEEE Standards Association and the DQ Institute announced their engagement in the Coalition for Digital Intelligence (CDI). The coalition is a platform for coordinating efforts on raising digital intelligence across the technology and education sectors and is supported by the World Economic Forum.     

The DQ Institute spearheaded the development of the DQ Global Standards, which in 2020 were adopted by the IEEE as the world’s first international standard for digital literacy and digital intelligence. The Institute actively supported international organizations like the OECD and UN agencies and national governments in benchmarking the standards into policy and practice, ensuring widespread adoption and legitimacy.

DQ Institute’s current advocacy efforts include working with the Global Cybersecurity Forum in collaboration with ITU, UNICEF, and WeProtect to drive the adoption of Child Protection in Cyberspace Index globally. It serves as the checklist and assessment for nations to ensure to build a resilient national system to safeguard children online. The Index provides actionable insights for policymakers and has become a reference point for national and international strategies.  

“What I realized while working on this is that there are lots of people who want to help and who want to work together. Often, I myself was the bottleneck to receiving help in the right way. It’s important to understand that you’re not alone—it’s actually better to work together and better to give than to take. Once we have that mindset, things get better in many ways.

It is important to avoid the “us vs them” and to objectively work with all the relevant allies to together look at the public health approach.  
You can learn the most from people who criticize you.”

To dive deep into the process of on building the Digital Intelligence field and shifting mindsets around it, tune into Season 3, Episode 3 of the Ashoka Systems Change Podcast where Dr. Yuhyun Park shares about their journey.