The OpenEU alliance, which aims to establish the first European Open University, held a coordination meeting on 5–6 February 2026 in Lisbon, hosted by Universidade Aberta. The meeting marked the completion of the first year and the launch of the second cycle of activities, at a critical transition point from planning to implementation.
Partners reviewed the progress achieved during the first year and approved the new action plan, aiming to strengthen the role of open and distance universities within the European Higher Education Area, in response to the growing need for flexible learning pathways, lifelong education, and continuous skills development.
During the first year, the OpenEU project established strong governance foundations and implemented significant pilot activities, including joint research labs, 11 doctoral courses with more than 80 participants, as well as the first International Winter School in Athens, attended by approximately 100 early-career researchers.
OpenEU reaffirms its commitment to a more inclusive, digital, and sustainable higher education system, actively contributing to the transformation of the European educational landscape.
Lisbon sets the direction for the second year
Building on the foundations established, the second cycle of activities launched in Lisbon aims to turn OpenEU’s collaborative momentum into more visible opportunities for students, staff, and society. Priorities for the second year include strengthening
mobility programmes, more closely linking skills development with employability and microcredentials, enhancing collaboration among academic communities, and exploring new joint initiatives such as an online job fair and the alliance’s first joint undergraduate study programme.
Collaboration within the alliance will be further strengthened through five “Staff Weeks” planned for 2026, hosted by different OpenEU partner institutions, promoting staff mobility, peer learning, and institutional convergence. The long-term goal remains clear: to move towards a pan-European Open University capable of offering flexible and adaptable learning pathways, enabling learners to access and progress in higher education without having to choose between studies, work, and everyday life.
