{"id":55463,"date":"2025-01-15T17:03:59","date_gmt":"2025-01-15T15:03:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.eap.gr\/?p=55463"},"modified":"2025-01-16T10:14:20","modified_gmt":"2025-01-16T08:14:20","slug":"openeu-is-on-its-way-to-becoming-the-first-pan-european-open-university","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.eap.gr\/en\/2025\/01\/15\/openeu-is-on-its-way-to-becoming-the-first-pan-european-open-university\/","title":{"rendered":"OpenEU is on its way to becoming the first pan-European open university"},"content":{"rendered":"

More than 368,000 students and 24,000 academic, research and administrative staff at Europe’s leading open and distance learning universities will benefit from an alliance committed to lifelong learning, mobility, employability and inclusion.<\/span><\/i>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

A transnational bachelor’s degree in <\/span><\/i>software development<\/span><\/i><\/b>, a joint master’s degree in climate change and a shared portfolio of microcredentials are among the future academic initiatives aimed at enhancing and diversifying students’ educational pathways.<\/span><\/i>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u202fThe OpenEU alliance is laying the foundations for the first pan-European open university. This major coalition will set out its roadmap on <\/span>16 and 17 January<\/span><\/b>, when the <\/span>rectors of the ten participating universities meet in Barcelona<\/span><\/b>. The alliance includes eight of Europe’s leading open and distance learning universities and two brick-and-mortar universities from Eastern Europe. Supported by the European Commission through the European Universities initiative, this pioneering project involves <\/span>27 academic and non-academic organizations<\/span><\/b>. OpenEU aims to transform higher education by centring on a <\/span>more inclusive, equitable and digitally enabled model focused on lifelong learning<\/span><\/b>.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Over two days, rectors, vice rectors, faculty members and administrators from the ten universities will meet in Barcelona to discuss the alliance’s key milestones for 2028 in the three core missions of higher education: teaching, research and innovation, and societal impact. They will also address the initiative’s thematic priorities: lifelong learning, inclusion and equity, and digital transformation.\u202f<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

“At a time when private, for-profit online universities are springing up all over the place, OpenEU offers an opportunity to advocate the need for quality online education as a cornerstone of the European Higher Education Area,” said \u00c0ngels Fit\u00f3, president of the alliance and rector of the UOC. “As Europe’s open and distance learning universities, we have a responsibility to continue to provide learning opportunities for individuals who choose non-traditional educational models.”<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

First steps and major challenges<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

OpenEU’s strategic objectives for the next four years will focus on three major challenges in higher education: lifelong learning, inclusion and equity, and digital transformation.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Among other initiatives, the alliance will work to develop a comprehensive catalogue of educational opportunities offered jointly by its members. This will include the alliance’s <\/span>first transnational bachelor’s degree<\/span><\/b>: a three-year programme in <\/span>software development<\/span><\/b> developed jointly by the Universitat Oberta de Catalunya, the Open University of the Netherlands and UNED. In addition, a shared <\/span>virtual campus<\/span><\/b> will be created to enable interaction between the different members of the university community. The alliance will also support five European higher education institutions in <\/span>integrating digital education into their curricula<\/span><\/b>.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Predoctoral research<\/span><\/b> will be another cornerstone of the project, fostering collaboration between research teams from the alliance universities. This will be achieved through various initiatives, including summer and winter schools, seminars, training sessions and opportunities for exchanges with other institutions. The possibility of <\/span>interuniversity doctoral programmes<\/span><\/b> will also be explored, with the aim of establishing a highly active and collaborative predoctoral research community.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The Rector of the Hellenic Open University, Professor Manolis Koutouzis, stated that “<\/span>the H.O.U. supports the work of OpenEU, an initiative that promotes knowledge and cooperation at the European level. Through our participation, we aim to enhance access to education and innovation, without exclusions<\/span><\/i>.”<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

368,000 students to benefit from greater mobility and more job opportunities<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

OpenEU will represent over <\/span>368,000 university students<\/span><\/b>, most of whom have non-traditional profiles, as many are aged 25 or over and juggle their studies with work commitments. In addition, the alliance has significant resources, with <\/span>709,000 graduates<\/span><\/b> and <\/span>24,000 staff<\/span><\/b> across all participating institutions.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The alliance will provide international experiences for students from its ten member institutions through <\/span>virtual, hybrid and face-to-face exchanges<\/span><\/b> at consortium universities. Students, academic staff, researchers and administrative teams within OpenEU will also benefit from <\/span>increased opportunities for international mobility<\/span><\/b>, and clearer and more direct access to them, enabling the community to strengthen collaboration, share best practices and address common challenges.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

A <\/span>common portfolio of microcredentials<\/span><\/b> in key areas such as climate change, European values and democracy, and digital transformation will also be developed. These microcredentials will allow students to enrol in courses offered by any of the universities in the consortium, increasing their opportunities for specialization and creating more flexible learning pathways.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

In this context, the OpenEU alliance will work to ensure that <\/span>these microcredentials are integrated into curricula<\/span><\/b>, promoting their recognition at the European level and creating new options over the course of students’ academic trajectories.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

One of OpenEU’s first initiatives will be the launch of an <\/span>open master’s degree in climate change<\/span><\/b>, which will allow students to take courses from any of the participating universities, creating a unique and diverse learning pathway tailored to their needs. The interuniversity alliance will revolve around three key areas, addressing major challenges that are not only European but also global: the <\/span>climate emergency<\/span><\/b>, <\/span>digital transformation<\/span><\/b> and <\/span>democracy<\/span><\/b>. Accordingly, all academic programmes developed within the OpenEU framework will focus on at least one of these areas.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u202f<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

A joint programme to promote employment<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The alliance is also committed to improving students’ career prospects through initiatives such as a <\/span>shared internship exchange<\/span><\/b>, which will guarantee transnational hybrid, virtual and face-to-face experiences, and a <\/span>virtual employment fair<\/span><\/b>, which will launch in 2027.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

To further empower students to develop their skills and improve their employability, OpenEU will create a <\/span>virtual career guidance tool<\/span><\/b> informed by real labour market data.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

OpenEU will work closely with networks and organizations such as <\/span>Eurocities, Stifterverband and the Bulgarian Industrial Association<\/span><\/b> to provide vocational training tailored to the needs of the labour market. This collaboration aims to<\/span> meet societal needs by <\/span>providing coherent and transnational education that develops essential employability skills<\/span><\/b>.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Supporting the digital transformation of higher education institutions<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

One of OpenEU’s key objectives is to leverage the alliance’s knowledge and experience in digital education for the benefit of Europe’s higher education system. To achieve this, the alliance will work with <\/span>five brick-and-mortar universities<\/span><\/b> to help them develop their own e-learning methodologies: St Cyril and St Methodius University of Veliko Tarnovo (Bulgaria), Daugavpils University (Latvia), Fan S. Noli University (Albania), MIT University (North Macedonia) and the Ukrainian Engineering Pedagogics Academy (Ukraine).<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

In addition, joint research on digital pedagogies will be promoted through the creation of a <\/span>European research cluster on education with digital technologies<\/span><\/b> and a <\/span>think-and-do tank on digital education<\/span><\/b>.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Towards inclusive and equitable higher education<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

A commitment to equity is a core pillar of OpenEU. The alliance will develop <\/span>specific programmes targeting under-represented groups<\/span><\/b> in higher education, such as women in science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics (STEAM), people with disabilities and people living in rural areas. OpenEU will also focus on improving access to and participation in higher education among migrants and refugees, building on its partnership with the Mediterranean Universities Union (UNIMED), which runs many projects centred on these groups.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Another example of collaboration is OpenEU’s partnership with the European LEADER Association for Rural Development (<\/span>ELARD<\/span><\/a>), which represents over 2,500 local associations. Together they will develop a common rural agenda aimed at improving access to <\/span>higher education for communities far from urban centres with traditional universities<\/span><\/b>, an area where OpenEU brings significant added value.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

OpenEU will also launch a <\/span>mentoring programme<\/span><\/b> in partnership with <\/span>Mentoring Europe<\/span><\/a>. This initiative, already operating individually in some universities, will be extended to a European level with the design of a dedicated programme. In addition, the alliance will initiate specific <\/span>research and innovation projects in the field of digital education<\/span><\/b>, with the aim of transforming higher education through a shared digital vision among the consortium’s member institutions.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201c<\/span>OpenEU has designed an ambitious multifaceted program of actions, coordinated by the Hellenic Open University, with the aim of improving access and inclusion in European education. With these actions, the Alliance aspires to evolve Open Education into Unhindered Education and to provide unlimited opportunities for personal and professional development to the citizens and residents of Europ<\/span><\/i>e\u201d said Prof. A. Kameas, Dean of HOU Faculty of Science and Technology & OpenEU WP3 co-ordinator.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

What is OpenEU and who is part of this project?<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

OpenEU is made up of <\/span>14 universities<\/span><\/b>, 10 of which are direct beneficiaries of European funding. Members include the Universitat Oberta de Catalunya (UOC), the National University of Distance Education (UNED), the Open University of the Netherlands, the FernUniversit\u00e4t in Hagen (Germany), the Open University of Cyprus, the Hellenic Open University (Greece), Bifr\u00f6st University (Iceland), St Cyril and St Methodius University of Veliko Tarnovo (Bulgaria) and Daugavpils University (Latvia).<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The alliance also includes associated bodies, such as four collaborating universities \u2013 the Open University (United Kingdom), Fan S. Noli University (Albania), MIT University (North Macedonia) and the Ukrainian Engineering Pedagogics Academy (Ukraine), as well as the European Association of Distance Teaching Universities (EADTU) and the International Association of Universities (IAU).<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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