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While this topic has been on the agenda for more than a decade, developments such as data-driven governance, artificial intelligence and the provision of online courses and micro-credentials, have increased its scope.
The digital transition presents significant opportunities for innovation, but also requires universities to develop new infrastructure and enhance digital skills among staff. Policy and funding frameworks must be adjusted to reflect universities’ interests, both as adopters and developers of digital technologies and approaches.
The European University Association is taking a holistic approach to the digital transition of universities. This involves looking at the cultural and institutional changes that will allow universities to use digital technologies to enhance their activities and missions, while keeping control of their digital choices, tools and data and promoting university values. To facilitate this, EUA has developed a digital transition work programme with the Digital Transformation Steering Committee and Advisory Board.
In addition, EUA supports its members in their ongoing strategic development, notably to develop a “high-performance digital education ecosystem”, including through the DIGI-HE project, which explored strategic approaches to digitally enhanced learning and teaching. This is also one of the priorities of the EU’s 2020 Digital Education Action Plan, to which EUA responded.
Learn more about the DIGI-HE project
As part of its work on Open Science, for many years EUA has actively promoted open access to data. The Association is a member of the governing board of the European Open Science Cloud (EOSC) and is engaged in furthering skills to ensure Findable, Accessible, Interoperable and Reusable (FAIR) data through the FAIRsFAIR Project. Additionally, EUA has gathered data on universities’ innovation activities related to the digital transition via its recent innovation survey.
European higher education institutions (HEIs) are facing increasing demands for more flexible learning and flexibility in learning paths. ...
The wide-ranging ambitions of the European Green Deal provide a policy framework to integrate the scientific, educational, and institutional dimensions of universities’ contribution to the green tra ...
At least 20% of students within the European Higher Education Area should experience mobility to an institution abroad. This briefing examines why this target has never been reached, the ensuing ...
This report summarises the main results, insights and open questions of the DIGI-HE project and sets them in the wider context of Europe’s institutions and systems. As such, this final report public ...
This report summarises the findings of the EUA Learning & Teaching Thematic Peer Group "Needs and wellbeing of students and staff", which was active throughout 2022. ...
This report summarises the findings of the EUA Learning & Teaching Thematic Peer Group “Digitally competent teachers in designing quality learning environments”, which was active throughout 20 ...
This report summarises the findings of the 2022 EUA Thematic Peer Group which explored collaborative teaching practice (CTP) in higher education in detail. ...
The purpose of the Graduate Attributes Programme is to deliver a suite of Transition modules to enable a successful student journey and to prepare students for their future. Transition Through initiat ...
The European Commission is developing a set of non-binding commitments for EU member states regarding the provision of digital skills. This policy input summarises EUA’s input ahead of an eventual C ...
The European Commission is developing a set of non-binding commitments for EU member states regarding enabling factors for digital education. This policy input summarises EUA’s input ahead of an eve ...
The European University Association welcomes the adoption by the Council of the European Union of the Conclusions on research assessment and implementation of Open Science. ...
Based on data collected in 2021 by the International Association of Universities (IAU), Michael Gaebel and Henriette Stoeber reflect on the impact of the pandemic on European higher education. ...
This report presents the detailed results from the EUA 2020-2021 Open Science Survey with a focus on research data practices at universities in Europe. ...
This report outlines the conclusions of the Learning & Teaching Thematic Peer Group “Strategy and organisational culture”, which explored the role of strategy and organisational culture in pro ...
This report outlines the conclusions of the Learning & Teaching Thematic Peer Group “Curriculum and assessment”, which examined how to embed digitally enhanced learning and teaching (DELT) and ...
This report summarises the findings of the EUA Thematic Peer Group ‘‘International Partnerships’’ which explored digitally enhanced internationalisation of higher education in detail. The repo ...
The EUA Open Science Agenda 2025 defines the Association’s priorities in this field and describes the current context, challenges and developments envisaged for the coming years. In addition, it out ...
This report presents a collection of seven case studies describing how FAIR competences are being addressed through education and training programmes. The good practices offer examples of successful i ...
The European Commission plans to explore individual learning accounts as a tool to support up- and reskilling of working age adults. This EUA policy input features the Association’s response to a de ...
This report presents the findings of the 2020-2021 EUA Open Science Survey and provides evidence-based recommendations for institutions, researchers, research funders and policy makers on the transiti ...
In response to the Covid-19 crisis, higher education institutions around the world adjusted their activities to an emergency online mode in the first half of 2020. As institutions have the main respon ...
The 2020 EUA Learning & Teaching Thematic Peer Group on “Meeting skills and employability demands” explored how universities can ensure that their study programmes reflect the dynamic demands ...
In Europe today, almost every higher education institution uses digitally enhanced learning and teaching. Since EUA began exploring this topic in 2013, digitally enhanced learning and teaching has bee ...
Digitally enhanced learning and teaching is widely used across the European Higher Education Area, with general acceptance growing over the years and institutions widely acknowledging the benefits it ...
The process to renew the European Research Area (ERA) is gathering pace and is set to continue in the coming weeks, months and years. Building on previous policy positions, this policy input further e ...
This briefing looks at the impact of the Covid-19 crisis on higher education in Europe over the past six months. In particular, it examines the sudden shift to emergency remote learning and teaching, ...
The European Commission’s Industrial Strategy for Europe and the European Digital Strategy launched in the spring of 2020 offer an opportunity for a broad and holistic approach to fundamental challe ...
The exponential change in IT forces inevitably a transformation of all industries in an unprecedented way. Teaching and learning at universities are no exception. For a millennial old institution that ...
This presentation highlights an initiative to improve teaching effectiveness by means of transdisciplinary projects involving students from different study programs, working in teams to solve real pro ...
The digital transformation of our societies is moving ahead, changing the way that we work and interact. It is also changing learning environments and the need for digital skills. ...
The fourth edition of the EUA Open Access Survey Report tracks European universities’ progress towards Open Access by looking at the degree to which they have implemented institutional policies and ...
Universities across Europe are calling for a more student-centred, inclusive university environment bringing together all actors of the university community, while also implementing measures to achiev ...
One of essential aspects of teaching and learning is feedback. Paper will discuss main problems of standard feedback systems given at the end of semester shortly. ...
The purpose of this paper is to explore the challenges of implementing a faculty development program that fosters active learning with a focus on the role of the organizational culture in the change p ...
In connection with recent researches on the educational development of faculty members, this paper presents the training programme to improve faculty members teaching skills at the University of Milan ...
Active learning encompasses a broad range of pedagogical approaches involving the learner in every step of the educational process, with the objective of stimulating ownership and critical thinking sk ...
In recent times e-learning in different forms has been integrated in a high percentage in the study offerings of HEIs in Europe. The quality assurance of this type of provision has become a concern bo ...
In this reaction to the European Commission’s Communication on “Artificial Intelligence for Europe”, EUA has underlined how universities can contribute to develop AI for th ...
EUA Open Access Survey Report 2016-2017 tracks European universities’ progress towards Open Access by looking at the degree to which they have implemented institutional policies and practices i ...
Abstract The ever-changing landscape of higher education and the rapid technology advancement are leading to new ways of teaching and assessing. Accordingly, quality assurance (QA) must adapt to thes ...
In parallel with the efforts to persuade researchers to practice Open Science, and the need to develop new research assessment methodologies that fairly assess the scientific quality of the ...
This document presents a set of aims and recommendations for university leaders and National Rectors’ Conferences to assist them in facilitating effective research data management (RDM) and tex ...
EUA has been monitoring developments in the area of Open Science, in particular Open Access to research publications, from an institutional perspective, since 2007. The questionnaire ...
The publication and dissemination of scientific outcomes is part of the backbone of scientific activities. In general, the conditions for publishing and publication usage in recent years hav ...
This paper presents issues which EUA considers important for universities in addressing the impact of digitalisation and thus which we propose to explore over the coming years in collaborati ...
The European University Association (EUA) would like to respond to the issues paper on the New Skills Agenda, that it has received both as a member of the EQF Advisory Group (AG) and the Bologna Follo ...
The present study on e-learning intends to contribute to closing a data gap and to stimulate the discussion on the further development of national and European policies on the issue and to supportits ...
Abstract The Bologna process considers a greater internationalization and cultural diversity. In virtual higher education quality is particular important but difficult to manage and to reac ...
Abstract Higher education is undergoing deep transformations driven by increasing demand, high youth unemployment, rising costs and new uses of technology. These have triggered an unprecede ...
“The EU consultation collects the views of stakeholders regarding the potential of European policies and projects to contribute to the development of a “European Area of Skills and Qualifi ...
With the rapid development of MOOCs, EUA published an occasional paper in January 2013 on MOOCs for discussion at the EUA Council, and for information for EUA membership. The present paper a ...
As internationalisation is of growing importance for universities, EUA has been actively contributing to the development of European internationalisation at both institutional and policy levels. In th ...
Over the past year, Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) have received a great deal of attention from the academic community and the media. The EUA Secretariat has followed the development of the MOOCs ...
Abstract Although e-learning has become mainstream provision in European higher education it has not yet become integral part of the QA systems.Surveys like the E-learning Quality (ELQ) report (2008: ...
The EUA-CDE Annual Meeting in 2018 included perspectives from outside Europe. Speakers from Asia, Africa and North America presented our European community with the global dimension of doctoral educat ...
With the publication of the Barcelona Declaration on Open Research Information, the European University Association is pleased to see new efforts to support the openness of the entire research process ...
On 28 March, the European University Association’s new Task and Finish Group on Artificial Intelligence held its first meeting in Brussels. ...
Too often, European regulations and directives have been proposed with far-reaching consequences for universities, research centres and the people who work there, but with little or no consideration o ...
OECD has issued a publication on artificial intelligence (AI) in science. ...
The Conversation, a free online non-profit news media organisation aiming to share knowledge by amplifying the voices of researchers in the public discourse, has launched its Europe edition. ...
Applications are being accepted for the FAIR-IMPACT project's second open call for support. ...
The British University in Egypt, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), and Zayed University are extending an invitation to the COP28simulation. The deadline for applications is 6 September. ...
EUA member Riga Technical University (RTU) has launched a tenure system and offers eight tenured professor positions. Tenured professors selected by competition will be confirmed in their positions fo ...
The IAU 2023 International Conference will be held from 25-27 November at Qatar University in Doha, Qatar. The conference will discuss the theme Higher Education with Impact: The Importance of Intercu ...
EUA member Universidade Aberta (UAb) has launched a call for application for the position of Rector. ...
Researchers play a key role in making their outputs findable, accessible, interoperable and reusable (FAIR) but equally the organisations who employ them, the funding bodies that financially support a ...
The European University Association, alongside several fellow associations that represent universities and university libraries, has called for the EU’s co-legislators to ensure that the proposed Da ...
EURASHE and the University Politehnica of Bucharest, Romania, will hold on 8 and 9 June 2023 the EURASHE 32nd Annual Conference, ‘Skills for Europe’. ...
In its input to a European Commission public consultation on emerging virtual worlds (e.g. metaverses), the European University Association has highlighted that universities are important users, as we ...
On 16 March, the first meeting of the newly recomposed European University Association Expert Group on Open Science (EGOS) took place in Brussels. ...
The FAIR-IMPACT project recently launched an open call for EOSC FAIR Champions, aiming to select 12 experts to act as ambassadors for FAIR research data, engage their communities and advocate for the ...
On 15 September 2022, the European Commission published the third Call for proposals in advanced digital skills under the DIGITAL Europe Programme. ...
EUA and other associations representing European universities, research performing organisations, research funding organisations, research libraries, and repositories in Europe have released a joint s ...
EUA joined CESAER and Science Europe to call on all publishers to fully respect researchers’ rights and to end the use of restrictions and embargoes. In a joint statement published on 25 May, the th ...
Open science requires a sustainable, trustworthy and comprehensive network of repositories that can support researchers around the world in managing, sharing and preserving their data. Strengthening a ...
Sustainable learning and teaching was at the centre of the 2020 EUA Learning & Teaching Thematic Peer Groups, which have wrapped up their cycle of work. ...
The European Distance and E-learning Network (EDEN) organises the European Online Distance Learning Week (EODLW) on 2 – 6 November, with one extra day on 9 November focusing on the European Vocation ...
Coventry University’s Centre for Global Learning: Education and Attainment (GLEA) organises the online conference “Reconstructing education through a global lens” on 2 – 6 November 2020. ...
EUA member in Ukraine Vasyl Stefanyk Precarpathian National University, together with the NGO “Sustainable Development Landmarks”, organise the 1st virtual international conference on sustainable ...
EUNIS, the European University Information Systems organisation, opened the registrations for the EUNIS2020 Congress “Virtual Helsinki”, which will take place online from 10 to 12 June 2020. Regis ...
INEA, the European Commission’s Innovation and Networks Executive Agency, launched an open call for proposals for the 2020 CEF Telecom European Platform for Digital Skills and Jobs (DSIs). ...
The Norwegian Agency for Quality Assurance in Education (NOKUT) organises the final dissemination seminar of the Erasmus+ Refugees and Recognition – Toolkit 2 (REACT) project on 17 January 2020 in B ...
The Norwegian Agency for Quality Assurance in Education (NOKUT) organises a webinar on 19 November from 12:00 to 14:00 to present the results of the testing performed at higher education institutions ...
The rapid proliferation of AI tools is just one part of an ongoing era of global digital transformation. What actions can we take to create the digital future we want to see? ...
Can universities move beyond present discussions of AI’s disruptive impact on higher education and embrace this (forced) opportunity to rethink our role in the society of the future? For Manfred Kra ...
FAIR data is an essential component of the open research ecosystem. In this article, Alexander Refsum Jensenius argues that "FAIRification" can also benefit research-based and research-led education, ...
How can we foster the capacity of university leaders to effectively steer change and address new transformational priorities? Josep M. Garrell and Thomas Estermann reflect on the results of the NEWLEA ...
Commenting on the launch of EUA’s Green Deal roadmap for universities, EUA’s Sergiu-Matei Lucaci notes in Research Europe that driving sustainability means reshaping teaching, operations, strategy ...
For Claudia von der Linden and Lina Michel, modern digitalisation initiatives call for a substantial cultural shift. In this article, they describe how three Austrian universities are proactively reca ...
EUA’s newly published Innovation Agenda will help to mobilise and boost the university sector’s innovation capacity for greater strategic engagement to tackle societal challenges, writes Sergiu-Ma ...
The growing participation of women in higher education is not yet reflected in university leadership. Here, Kerstin Mey examines barriers to reaching a critical mass of female leaders in higher educat ...
Digitalisation permeates all areas of university life, and thrives on openness, interaction and fast-paced innovation. In this piece, Ronald Maier, a member of EUA’s new Digital Transformation Steer ...
Leaders must respond to the unprecedented challenges facing the higher education system. In these times of uncertainty, hope is the fundamental leadership driver that will help our institutions to rem ...
National, system-level initiatives can support and enhance learning and teaching, as highlighted in the study National Developments in Learning and Teaching in Europe. While higher education instituti ...
As universities face increased pressures and rapid change, leadership development opportunities are in short supply. EUA’s Thomas Estermann and Luisa Bunescu offer their expertise from the NEWLEAD p ...
The concept of leadership in teaching is not easy to pin down. Drawing from the LOTUS project, EUA expert Thérèse Zhang explores two definitions and highlights the roles that leaders in teaching cou ...
On the occasion of EUA’s 20th anniversary, Cardiff University President and Vice-Chancellor Colin Riordan analyses the role of the Association in a changing world. The piece highlights that while so ...
As we look forward towards a future of “Universities without walls”, this article by EUA President Michael Murphy points out that universities need better and coordinated communication of their wo ...
This piece by Oliver Vettori of the Vienna University of Economics and Business analyses the tightrope walk of university leadership. It points out the importance of getting experts to agree on a way ...
On the occasion of EUA’s 20th anniversary, President Michael Murphy and long-time senior expert and Director Michael Gaebel look back at two decades of global university collaboration. Offering a br ...
On the occasion of the 20th anniversary of the European University Association, Andrée Sursock analyses two decades of transformation and renewal in Europe’s higher education landscape, and charts ...
In Europe, there is little provision of leadership development schemes in higher education. Given the pace and intensity of transformations in our societies and invariably in our universities, institu ...
In a rapidly-changing labour market, how can students be prepared to be citizens of the world, as well as the future job creators and workers? Wyn Morgan and Catherine O’Mahony look at the definitio ...
While Europe discusses its data strategy, the digital transformation must be on the radar of universities. Digital skills, the infrastructure and support for “FAIR” research data management, and t ...
Universities together with business partners are the motors of regional development. As EUA’s Lidia Borrell-Damian and Thomas Jorgensen explain, by fostering the link between education, research and ...
Universities are changing. Strategy expert Claudia Nuss reflects on what it takes to successfully lead the transformation process. ...
It is at the apex of higher education, research and innovation, but issues around integrity and employability must be addressed for doctoral education to continue to thrive, says Luke Georghiou. Ambi ...
EUA has developed its vision for Europe’s universities in 2030. After intensive consultations with more than 100 experts and visionaries from the EUA membership and a wide range of external partners ...
The DIGI-HE project explored different ways higher education institutions can boost their strategic approaches to digitally enhanced learning and teaching and enhance their capacity. ...
Making data FAIR – findable, accessible, interoperable, reusable – is becoming more and more the standard expectation for European research projects. ...
Universities are increasingly aware of the potential of integrating artificial intelligence-powered solutions across institutional functions, as well as the multitude of questions this raises about th ...
The European Research Area (ERA) reflects the European Commission and EU member states’ ambition to create a single, borderless market for research, innovation and technology across the EU. It was f ...
To shape the future that universities want, we must proactively engage with possible futures. ...
Innovation is a key strategic priority for universities. It draws on their research and education missions as well as their role as an honest broker at the nexus of different sectors and communities. ...
Open Science is a shared responsibility, and a successful transition will require a concerted effort from key stakeholders. EUA takes a comprehensive view of the transition to Open Science and works t ...
Universities must drive developments in learning and teaching. This requires close collaboration with all major stakeholder groups, including national and European policy makers. ...