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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 brings to the student experience.
The strategic focus being placed on digitally enhanced learning and teaching has increased, undoubtedly accelerated by the Covid-19 pandemic, and is reflected in many national and European policies, with the renewed Digital Education Action Plan (2021-2027) underlining “the development of a high-performing digital education ecosystem” as a strategic priority.
Set against this prerogative and growing strategic interest, this report presents a review of 20 instruments from around the globe designed for self-assessment of digitally enhanced learning and teaching at higher education institutions. It offers a number of insightful observations concerning their use (or non-use) by institutions for promoting both quality enhancement and digital capacity development. It should be of immediate interest to higher education institutions, but also to policy makers, developers of instruments, and generally, to all those who seek information on such instruments.
This publication has been developed under the Erasmus+ co-funded DIGI-HE project, led by the EUA and in partnership with four universities, with the aim of supporting higher education institutions to engage in self-review to develop and enhance their strategic approaches to digitalisation.
The DIGI-HE project is co-funded by the Erasmus+ Programme of the European Union. This publication reflects the views only of the authors, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.
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Confinement due to the coronavirus is a great challenge for the international mobility of researchers and students, but international collaboration remains crucial for universities. EUA experts Thomas ...
The coronavirus pandemic demonstrates the renewed importance of universities’ civic engagement, whether it takes the form of a direct contribution to healthcare, research on the virus, or explaining ...
EUA President Michael Murphy assesses the challenges and opportunities brought by the coronavirus pandemic to Europe’s universities, in particular in relation to funding, digital tools, Open Science ...
Refugees bring with them skills, qualifications and experience – including in the medical field. This has been frequently stated but requires proactive acknowledgement and enhanced integration measu ...
As the coronavirus pandemic impacts the global economy, funding for universities is bound to take a hit. EUA’s Thomas Estermann explains what the crisis means for the higher education sector in Euro ...
The importance of learning outcomes has gained traction at Europe’s universities in recent years. The topic is also important in sectors beyond higher education, but often with a different purpose. ...
Learning is the core of education, and curriculum design is the key to learning. It combines all dimensions of university education and contributes significantly to its quality. This is, however, easi ...
Internationalisation of the learning experience within higher education is becoming progressively important with an increased emphasis on non-mobile domestic students. With increased attention to sust ...
Why should universities collect formative data at the course level if they aim to make evidence-based improvements in learning and teaching? Murat Sözer and Zuhal Zeybekoğlu from the Koç University ...
The quality of student assessment is one of the major concerns in Europe’s universities. Emmanuel Sylvestre from the University of Lausanne in Switzerland discusses the issues related to student ass ...
The European Universities Initiative is a great opportunity to deepen collaboration and revive the debate about necessary system level reforms. However, it is important to be aware of the risks. EUA ...
The new European Commission must make research, education and innovation a priority as it sets out the roadmap for the next five years. In Science Business, EUA President Michael Murphy presents a sim ...
Doctoral education has a major role to play in the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals. EUA-CDE Head Alexander Hasgall explores this, as well as how the goals, in turn, can benefit doctor ...
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 ...
As the results of the EU elections become clearer, EUA’s Thomas Jorgensen discusses the major changes in store and how universities could be impacted.The dust is still settling after the European Pa ...
Universities are changing. Strategy expert Claudia Nuss reflects on what it takes to successfully lead the transformation process. ...
To remain world leaders in research and innovation, Europe’s universities need more supportive policies and funding frameworks, write EUA President Rolf Tarrach and President-elect Michael Murphy fo ...
The shift to a student-centered education system has implied disruptive change in learning and teaching. Roberta Moscon from the University of Trento discusses how more higher education institutions a ...
An interview with Michael Gaebel.In 2013, a European Commission high-level expert group report pointed to the fact that in all areas of education becoming a teacher usually requires formalised pedagog ...
Quality assurance and the enhancement of learning and teaching are no longer exclusively the responsibility of those with the explicit responsibilities attached to their job titles. As EUA’s Tia Lou ...
Addressing the lack of recognition for the value of effective teaching requires more than making participation in teaching enhancement yet another requirement for academics, writes EUA Director, Highe ...
The University of Jyväskylä in Finland is redefining the role of language and communication skills in curriculum development and aiming to educate multilingual academic professionals. A university-w ...
Research-based education is happening in Europe, but there are clear challenges with how it is defined and understood. Bjørn Stensaker from the University of Oslo breaks down the topic and makes some ...
As discussions are underway at the European Learning & Teaching Forum, EUA’s Tia Loukkola gives an overview of the extensive work taking place in the field, including reports, lessons learnt by ...
Student-centered and active learning are a necessity for European universities to remain relevant to young people and society. Cecilia Christersson and Patricia Staaf of Malmö University discuss the ...
A higher education institution’s graduates reflect the achievement of intended learning outcomes as well as successful learning and teaching practices. Jurgita Vizgirdaite from the Kaunas University ...
The relationship between higher education institutions and society, as well as between learning and teaching, is evolving. This is driven by the changing ways in which students learn, different types ...
Higher education institutions have been and are investing in finding a better balance between the valorisation of teaching and research. The example of KU Leuven, in Belgium, shows that even though an ...
The need to better professionalise academic teaching careers is now on the agenda of more and more universities in Europe. Iwona Maciejowska from Jagiellonian University explains why these universitie ...
The continuous development of teaching competences needs commitment at all levels. It is a systematic process that requires a framework for teaching performance, a professionalisation body, preferably ...
The EUA Thematic Peer Group on the evaluation of learning and teaching has enhanced a student partnership project at Queen’s University, Belfast. Claire Dewhirst, chair of the Thematic Peer Group, e ...
In uncertain times with anti-EU movements and Brexit negotiations, the EU institutions must make an effort to reach an agreement on Horizon Europe. EUA’s Lidia Borrell-Damian talks about the key ame ...
Thomas Estermann from the European University Association examines the university efficiency debate, explaining that behind the push to save money there is actually much more, including a silver linin ...
Lidia Borrell-Damián from the European University Association argues the European Commission’s Horizon Europe initiative holds great promise for the future of research and innovation in Europe. Thi ...
The European Commission’s proposal for the next Framework Programme for Research and Innovation (Horizon Europe) shares broad similarities with Horizon 2020, but there are some significant differenc ...
The proposal for the next Framework Programme for Research and Innovation, also known as Horizon Europe, has been published by the European Commission. Universities and research centres across Europe ...
As the Rector of the University of Groningen, and an economist, I am often asked why universities receive so much public funding for academic research. What is the use for society? A simple first resp ...
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 ...
As Europe decides how to best invest in the future of research and innovation, it is clear that Horizon 2020’s successor will need more funding. It is also quite certain that its design must be more ...
Director of Research and Innovation, European University Association, Lidia Borrell-Damián shares her thoughts on what lies ahead after Horizon 2020, in which she envisions a new kind of impact by li ...
Investment in research and education not only brings the highest European added value, it is also the most effective long-term, future-oriented commitment that the EU can make towards its citizens, wr ...
The lack of funding needed to achieve Europe’s widely advertised ambitions for global excellence in research and innovation should be addressed in discussing Horizon 2020’s successor. Understandin ...
With nearly 40 per cent of Europeans aged 30-34 now holding tertiary qualifications, universities have their work cut out delivering good learner-paced education to increasingly large and diverse popu ...
In the run up to the European University Association’s first pan-European Learning and Teaching Forum in Paris 28-29 September, we speak to Professor Jean Chambaz, a European University Association ...
Europe needs more ambitious research funding, or risks losing precious knowledge, writes Rolf TarrachThe European Union is currently defining its priorities for the next decade. The scientific communi ...
Michael Gaebel, Director of Higher Education Policy at the European University Association, highlights the upcoming European Commission Erasmus+ review. This article was first published on Open Access ...
In the top 50 performing participants in Horizon 2020, 4.2 billion euros went to 37 universities, 11 research agencies and two research institutes. These are all from 12 countries in Europe: the UK, G ...
The current state of the European Union demands new political thinking and action – not just “business as usual”. Europe faces a series of interlinked economic, political, societal and cultural ...
Horizon 2020 plays a significant part in developing the research and innovation capacity of the European community, as well as of the individual member states. We have already witnessed the 7th Framew ...
For the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), participation in Horizon 2020 is a number one priority. The framework programme gives us the opportunity to collaborate with excellent re ...
Erasmus+ as the successor of the Lifelong Learning Programme (LLP) brings a major contribution to universities like the Deggendorf Institute of Technology and has improved the implementation of activi ...
There is no doubt that Erasmus+ offers an excellent range of opportunities for students and staff to broaden their international experience. Key Action 1, in particular, provides a fantastic variety o ...
The University of Granada was very active in many of the Erasmus+ predecessor programmes and in bilateral mobility with partners all around the world. When the current Erasmus+ Programme took off in 2 ...
For Ghent University, Erasmus+ is a vital instrument in the attainment of its strategic ambition to see 25% of its students study abroad by 2020. Erasmus+ Key Action 1a on student mobility accounts fo ...
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 ...
EUA is currently piloting a Leadership Development Programme for senior leaders in European higher education institutions. ...
The Staff development for learning and teaching at European universities (STAFF-DEV) project aims to analyse how staff development and academic assessment are conducted at European higher education in ...
The STAND project aims to improve the processes and mechanisms of university autonomy by increasing the management capacities, accountability and transparency of universities in the Western Balkans in ...
Today, higher education institutions are tasked with multiple and challenging roles. ...
The LOTUS project aims to contribute to capacity building and strategic change management for learning and teaching at higher education institutions across Europe. ...
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. ...
The TRUNAK project seeks to enhance university autonomy in Kazakhstan. It seeks to develop both the management and governance of Kazakh universities, as well as the capacities of national authorities ...
The EUA Learning & Teaching Thematic Peer Groups gather a selected group of EUA member universities each year to discuss and explore practices and lessons learnt in organising and implementing lea ...
The EFFECT project aimed to facilitate the exchange of experience and effective methods in terms of university teachers’ development at the European level. ...
The ATHENA project contributed to the development, reform and modernisation of higher education systems in the Eastern Neighbouring partner countries Armenia, Moldova and Ukraine. ...
Leading a university has never been more demanding. University leaders must juggle multiple roles, balancing the needs and expectations of a diverse array of stakeholders. They are accountable for a w ...
The regulatory, financial and societal environments in which universities operate are changing at an increasingly fast pace. EUA is dedicated to supporting universities in their efforts to make succes ...
The influence of the digital transition is being felt across large swathes of society. This includes universities in their research, education and innovation missions, but also in their general organi ...
To shape the future that universities want, we must proactively engage with possible futures. The world is changing rapidly. And with it, universities and their contexts are changing. Among the major ...
Universities must drive developments in learning and teaching. This requires close collaboration with all major stakeholder groups, including national and European policy makers. In recent decades, n ...
The call for contributions for the 2025 European Learning & Teaching Forum is now open. ...
To map approaches to staff development at European HEIs, and analyse how they work in their respective environments, the STAFF-DEV consortium invited contributions through a survey. ...