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The quality of staff development in teaching is deeply connected to the quality of learning and the student experience.
This report from the European University Association’s 2025 Thematic Peer Group on ‘Ensuring the quality and impact of staff development in teaching’ analyses connections between staff development and the overall quality of learning and teaching, as well as the real and desired impact of staff development. In doing so, the report advocates for its integration in higher education institutions’ strategies and provides a perspective on how staff development can and should impact the institutional culture of teaching.
The findings are based on group discussions, exploration of institutional practices and qualitative student consultations conducted at the ten European universities that formed the group. The group also identified challenges – ranging from making (and taking) time for improving teaching to capacity building needed in teaching evaluation practices.
The report explores how quality and impact are understood in staff development for learning and teaching and how it connects with the broader institutional context. Finally, the report provides recommendations and examples of practice to improve and amplify the quality and impact of staff development.
Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA). Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.
The European University Association’s latest podcast series takes you into the world of those who design and organise staff development activities to improve learning and teaching at European univer ...
Welcome to HigherEd in Practice, a podcast series from the European University Association. In this series, we introduce you to selected practices in European higher education, covering teacher traini ...
In recent decades, notable progress towards quality education has been made through the implementation of structural reforms under the Bologna process. In addition, the European Union is working towar ...
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Automatic recognition has received much attention in European higher education policy circles in recent years, due to its promise of greatly facilitating recognition procedures and thus mobility. ...
Both tangible factors (e.g. resources) as well as intangible ones (e.g. values) have an impact on the degree to which a higher education institution can successfully implement transnational staff deve ...
Instilling a community- and peer-based culture in institutional teaching practices can significantly change attitudes towards staff development. ...
Aligning institutional purpose, sustainable funding and effective leadership are essential for European Universities alliances – as well as other cooperation formats – to become stable and durable ...
A reform of academic careers is needed in Europe to ensure that academia remains an attractive career option and place of excellence. ...
By promoting a culture of continuous improvement, innovation and knowledge-sharing, the European University Association aims to empower its members to become leaders in educational excellence, ultimat ...
Crises, such as pandemics, natural disasters, political and armed conflicts, as well as technological disruptions, significantly affect universities and the quality of their education. ...
Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) combines research methods with practical teaching insights, fostering academic development, sustainability, and accountability. ...
Societal expectations are rising for higher education to help learners develop into engaged, responsible and resilient citizens of the world. ...
This report provides a deep dive into the lived experiences of those responsible for staff development in learning and teaching at European higher education institutions. ...
Staff development in teaching is an important driver of efforts to further enhance L&T at European higher education institutions. ...
For the European higher education sector, the past five years have seen many changes and transformations, some gradual, others more drastic and disruptive. ...
In the context of European higher education, learning and teaching centres are generally located within an institution, with their primary mission being to support the development of the institution ...
Transnational joint education provision — education jointly developed and delivered by two or more institutions in different countries — has emerged as a desired experience for many students, a ke ...
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 ...
This report presents the key findings and recommendations of the NEWLEAD project’s efforts to build the capacity of university leaders across Europe in steering change and addressing new prior ...
The European University Association (EUA) presents a set of recommendations on sustaining Ukrainian universities and enabling them to continue their research and teaching activities. ...
This NEWLEAD guide offers recommendations and reflections for university leaders, university sector representatives and policy makers interested in setting up a leadership development programme (LDP). ...
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. ...
Following the widespread concern and debate provoked by the arrival of ChatGPT and similar artificial intelligence (AI) tools, the European University Association’s Learning and Teaching Steering Co ...
Developing a comprehensive approach to innovation for the benefit of universities is at the core of the European University Association’s vision for the future of European higher education and resea ...
This report presents the final outcomes of the EU-funded “Leadership and Organisation for Teaching and Learning at European universities” (LOTUS) project. ...
Today, more than ever before, universities are expected to fulfil multiple and increasingly challenging roles. Invariably, university leaders are walking a tightrope, caught between long-term strategy ...
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 ...
This self-assessment tool was developed by the European University Association (EUA) in partnership with the German Rectors’ Conference (HRK), the Spanish Rectors’ Conference (Crue) and the Dutch ...
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 provides in-depth analysis of the results of the first-ever Europe-wide survey on universities and innovation. ...
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 report analyses major and recent national policies and initiatives aiming to support the enhancement of learning and teaching in 30 countries of the European Higher Education Area (EHEA). ...
The present policy input comprises EUA’s key messages for the European Commission’s public consultation on micro-credentials in the summer of 2021. The results of the consultation will feed into t ...
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 “Environmental sustainability of learning and teaching” discussed how learning and teaching can embrace and promote sustainability, and ...
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 ...
The 2020 EUA Learning & Teaching Thematic Peer Group on “Approaches in learning and teaching to promoting equity and inclusion” explored how universities can best support inclusion and equity ...
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 ...
Micro-credentials have attracted interest as a means to increase the effectiveness and flexibility of higher education and to provide upskilling and reskilling opportunities for the labour force. ...
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, ...
EUA Strategic Plan The need for strong universities has never been greater in addressing societal challenges. The Covid-19 pandemic, climate change, resource scarcity, ageing populations, migration a ...
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 ...
There is a legitimate need for data on the performance of higher education institutions. It is important for the institutions themselves, as well as their stakeholders, including society. The use of i ...
The concept of evidence-based learning and teaching is complex and multifaceted. The EUA Learning & Teaching Thematic Peer Group on “Evidence-based approaches to learning and teaching” underst ...
Assessment is an essential and influential element in the learning journey of all students. There is commitment across universities to promoting a holistic assessment design, based on co-creation betw ...
The EUA Learning & Teaching Thematic Peer Group on “Internationalisation in learning and teaching” considers strategic and comprehensive internationalisation as a fit-for-purpose and timely me ...
At the centre of a student’s university experience stands the programme that they follow. Therefore, creating curricula that are fit-for-purpose is at the heart of an institution’s teaching missio ...
Ample evidence suggests that even though student-centred learning is a topic of great interest and benefit to universities across Europe and beyond, there are widespread difficulties in addressing the ...
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. ...
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 ...
The EFFECT project produced a feasibility study on how teaching enhancement can be promoted in the most efficient manner at the European level. Launched at the 2019 European Learning & Teaching Fo ...
This article aims to map the landscape of teaching and learning excellence prizes across higher education and research institutions in Europe, to evaluate their impact on the recognition and assurance ...
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 ...
The evaluation of learning and teaching is one central activity through which universities monitor the fitness-for-purpose of their education provision. This paper represents the outcomes of the work ...
Higher education stakeholders are increasingly aware of the need for systematic continuous professional development opportunities for university teachers. This report reflects the outcomes of the work ...
Attention to career paths in teaching and staff development, in order to enhance learning and teaching, has gained importance in the European policy arena in recent years. This paper is the result of ...
This report is a milestone of the EU-supported project “Transition to University Autonomy in Kazakhstan” (2017-2020) and focuses on the state of play of university governance and recommend ...
In recent years, the enhancement of learning and teaching has become a priority, not only for higher education institutions, but also for national governments, the European Union and the Bologna Proce ...
Trends 2018 examines how learning and teaching at European higher education institutions evolves in the context of changing demands, technological and societal development, and European- and national- ...
Over the past three years, EUA has been working on a number of initiatives related to higher education learning and teaching. Activities include knowledge building and studies, institutional ...
Based on the work of the EUA Learning & Teaching Initiative and the outcomes of the 1st European Learning & Teaching Forum, this paper underlines the importance of learning and teaching (L& ...
This report aims to provide the reader with an insight into the discussions and conclusions of the thematic peer groups with each chapter consisting of the summary of one thematic peer group presentin ...
The European Principles for the Enhancement of Learning and Teaching were developed as part of Erasmus+- funded EFFECT project (European Forum for Enhanced Collaboration in Teaching), coordinate ...
In its review of the "Framework of Key Competences for Lifelong Learning", the European Commission engaged in a public consultation, due to close on 19 May 2017. ...
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 ...
Trends 2015 is the seventh in the series of Trends reports published by the European University Association. The main goal of Trends 2015 is to document the universities’ perceptions of the chan ...
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 ...
“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 ...
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 ...
The report is the result of the project Europe-Africa Quality Connect: Building Institutional Capacity through Partnership (QA Connect) that took place between October 2010 and September 2012. Th ...
Le rapport est le résultat du projet intitulé Europe- Afrique Quality Connect : Construire une capacité institutionnelle à travers le partenariat (QA Connect), qui s’est déroulé ...
This report is based on a project entitled “Shaping Inclusive and Responsive University Strategies”, or SIRUS, which was co-funded by the European Commission’s Lifelong Learning Programme. ...
The Access to Success project (2008-2010), funded by the Erasmus Mundus programme of the European Union, aimed at raising awareness of access and retention issues in higher education in Africa and Eur ...
Le Livre Blanc du projet « Accès à la réussite – Pour renforcer la confiance et les échanges entre l’Europe et l’Afrique » est lancé à un moment important à plusieurs titres : tout d’ ...
The white paper resulting from the project "Access to Success: Fostering Trust and Exchange between Europe and Africa" comes at a particularly critical moment in various regards: first, it arrive ...
This EUA report gives a detailed overview of the development of Master degrees in Europe. Based on a wide-ranging survey of European students, universities (leaders and academics) and employers, it sp ...
The EUA Charter has been elaborated on the basis of extensive consultation, not only with EUA’s 800 member universities and 34 national Rectors’ Conferences, but also with a wide range o ...
European universities are uniquely positioned to advance knowledge creation and European social and economic development through their creative responses to complex questions. They have been righ ...
These Guidelines for Quality Enhancement in European Joint Master Programmes are addressed to all higher education institutions either considering or actually running joint programmes. It is the ...
EUA developed this project with the twin objectives of using the experience of joint programmes to find solutions to a range of issues in the European higher education landscape that need to be r ...
Cette étude est la première à décrire et à analyser systématiquement l’état des lieux actuel des cursus de niveau master et des diplômes conjoints proposés dans l’Europe&nb ...
This survey represents the first attempt to describe and analyse systematically the present state of the art in respect of Master level degree programmes and joint degrees offered ...
EUA requested its collective members (the rectors’ conferences) to react on the European Commission’s draft Memorandum on Lifelong Learning and to comment on the impact of nati ...
L'EUA a demandé à ses membres collectifs (les conférences des recteurs) de réagir au projet de mémorandum de la Commission européenne sur l'apprentissage tout ...
One year since its launch, the European University Association welcomes progress on the Union of Skills and calls for further strategic investment through concrete actions such as a flagship EU initia ...
On 6 March, the European University Association’s new Thematic Peer Group (TPG) on institutional data held its first online meeting. ...
As of 1 March, three new members start their mandate on the body which provides strategic guidance to the European University Association’s Learning & Teaching activities. ...
As the European University Association’s Institutional Evaluation Programme (EUA-IEP) celebrates thirty years of activity, the programme is now accepting registrations all year round. ...
Starting in April 2025, the European University Association will bring together up to 20 senior university leaders for a pilot Leadership Development Programme that fosters exceptional leadership skil ...
On 29 April, the Register Committee of the European Quality Assurance Register for Higher Education (EQAR) found that the European University Association’s Institutional Evaluation Programme continu ...
On 27 March, the European Commission published a new higher education package, including proposals for Council Recommendations on a European recognition and quality assurance (QA) system and attractiv ...
As of 1 March, four new members start their mandate on the body which provides strategic guidance to EUA’s Learning & Teaching activities. ...
Ukrainian higher education institutions and their communities continue to be profoundly affected by the ongoing hostilities marked, on 24 February 2024, by the two-year anniversary of the Russian Fede ...
On 6-7 February 2024, an EUA-led project which aims to analyse, and strengthen related institutional capacity and strategies for staff development and academic assessment at European higher education ...
To facilitate networking and collaborative projects The University of Crete Teaching and Learning Centre, in Greece, is currently in the process of creating an international map of Teaching and Learni ...
EuroScience has opened the call for bids to host the EuroScience Open Forum edition in 2026. ...
The 33rd EAIE Conference and Exhibition will take place from 26–29 September, at Rotterdam Ahoy convention centre. This year’s conference theme is ‘Connecting currents’, celebrating the mariti ...
GRANteD is a project funded by the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme, investigating the existence and emergence of gender bias in the decision-making processes of resea ...
The Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE) is offering a new programme to help institutional leaders address the reputational, funding and strategic challenges facing universities tod ...
Applications are invited from suitably qualified candidates for 50 Marie Skłodowska-Curie Postdoctoral Fellows (PFs) (two levels of experienced researchers) (25 positions available in Call 1) at CÚR ...
The Global University Network for innovation (GUNi) is launching a HE Leadership & Management Hub designed to become a permanent platform for reflection, dialogue and professional training among h ...
The European University Association (EUA) and the Latin American and Caribbean Space for Higher Education (ENLACES) have published a joint statement ahead of a summit between the two regions’ leader ...
For the second time around, EUA member WU Vienna (Vienna University of Economics and Business) will host its Seamless Learning Conference from 20 – 21 April 2023. ...
The International Conference on Faculty Development “Developing Faculty members’ Pedagogical Acuity” will take place at EUA member University of Crete on 15-17 September 2023 in Rethymnon, Greec ...
EUA member Utrecht University will host the annual conference of the International Society for the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (ISSOTL) 8-11 November 2023. The event will take place at the Ra ...
EUA welcomed three new members to the EUA Learning & Teaching Steering Committee on 1 March. ...
In 2022, the UNESCO Institute for Lifelong Learning (UIL), will celebrate its 70th anniversary. ...
The secretariat of the Education Department of the Council of Europe launched a call for applications for the Best Practice Programme in Promoting Academic Integrity. The deadline for applications is ...
The Education Department of the Council of Europe launched the application period for Best Practice Programme in Promoting Academic Integrity during Covid-19, open until 20 August. ...
EUROSTUDENT organises the EUROSTUDENT VII final conference online on 18 and 19 May 2021. Registrations are now open and free of charge. ...
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. ...
Capacity building for higher education institutions Attention to learning and teaching (L&T) has increased in recent years, both at European higher education institutions (HEIs) and in European p ...
Applications now closed. Applicants will be informed by 19 December 2025 whether their application has been successful. ...
16 June 2025, 14:00-15:00 CEST Following the publication of the European University Association’s first strategic framework for its work on Learning & Teaching (L&T), this webinar fu ...
13 June 2025, 09.30-12.00 CEST Application closed What is the role of universities within the new European policy paradigm of competitiveness, security and sustainable prosperity? And how can u ...
Applications closed Capacity building for higher education institutions Attention to learning and teaching (L&T) has increased in recent years, both at European higher education institutions (HE ...
12 December 2024, 14.00 – 15.00 CET How can we move towards balanced academic careers, which take into account the variety of university missions? During this webinar, EUA experts offered insigh ...
1 October 2024, 11.00 – 12.00 CEST Following the publication of EUA’s ‘Trends 2024’ report, the authors will present the main findings and share their analysis of current developments in the ...
Registration for 2025 European Learning & Teaching Forum has been closed as we reached maximum capacity. We hope to see you at one of our future events! It has become an accepted fact, if not a t ...
For Iris Uribesalgo, learning from the process, leaders taking ownership and building institutional capacity are key to shaping meaningful and sustainable change in assessment practices. ...
Representation remains an important benchmark, but its significance goes beyond numbers alone. As EUA’s work on leadership development shows, tackling persistent barriers to diverse leadership is a ...
To ensure legally compliant, sustainable and digitally sovereign teaching in European Universities alliances, open educational resources are an essential tool. ...
What are universities across Europe doing to make sure that their academic staff are the best possible teachers? And what can we learn from each other? ...
For Sargis Asatryants, a local, values-based approach to sustainability rooted in education, research and institutional identity is needed to train the next generation of innovators in sustainable tra ...
AI avatars are opening new possibilities for teaching and learning, for example in multilingual online courses. But as universities experiment with these technologies, we must urgently address the eth ...
Our current university system is not systematically meeting the needs of the neurodivergent community, write Monique Mackenzie and Elliott Spaeth, who highlight artificial intelligence’s potential f ...
Supporting and developing our next generation of researchers is of fundamental importance if we want to guarantee Europe’s competitiveness in a global economy. We need to tackle job insecurity, impr ...
Quality assurance processes will become increasingly important in maintaining trust in academic standards, writes Eve Alcock, highlighting the importance of consistent approaches by QA agencies as wel ...
How do we ensure that academia remains an attractive and sustainable professional pathway in the long term? ...
For Aline Miller and Luke Georghiou, it is important to train innovators within universities to bridge the gap between research and societal impact. Here, they highlight how University of Manchester i ...
For Karl Tombre, universities need broad innovation strategies to tackle the immense challenges of this century, but this means looking beyond the technology transfer office and moving past outdated c ...
Reflecting on progress made in the enhancement of quality, transparency and mobility over the past two decades, early findings from the QA-FIT project provide some noteworthy insights into the sector ...
EU lawmakers need to take universities into account when drawing up new laws. This will stem the growing compliance burden, make for better regulation - and result in more efficient policy making, arg ...
After decades of transformative reforms, universities appear more streamlined and effective. However, Bjørn Stensaker argues that it should not be taken for granted that internal restructuring and im ...
Reacting to EUA’s Research and Innovation Agenda 2027, Sebastian Wörwag describes how universities are the engines that will transform our societies through transnational and transdisciplinary exch ...
For James Livesey, the current moment in history demands original and profound institutional innovation on the part of universities. In this article, he outlines how EUA’s Research and Innovation Ag ...
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 Science|Business, EUA’s Thomas Jørgensen examines the European Economic Security Strategy. He argues that making this strategy work for higher education and research depends on the granularity ...
Societal innovation processes require universities to act as agents of change, but is this easily reconciled with the intellectual and ethical challenges of truth-seeking? Stefan Herzig explains the p ...
Does artificial intelligence pose a threat to learning and teaching? Heli Harrikari argues that AI should be seen as part of broader, fast accelerating digitalisation of higher education and can provi ...
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 ...
Digital transitions pervade every aspect of our lives, but some university teachers still appear reluctant to develop their digital competences. For Barbara Bruschi and Manuela Repetto, it is urgent t ...
The AI debate goes much further than cheating on exams or generating texts for scientific articles; it is also about university values. For University World News, EUA’s Thomas Jørgensen explores th ...
Beyond getting the technology in place, digitally enhanced learning and teaching (DELT) in higher education requires considerable resources and engagement, strategy and leadership. In this article for ...
Can, and should, quality assurance play a greater role in ensuring that common academic values are respected? EUA’s Maria Kelo examines recent debates on the scope of QA in higher education. Qualit ...
As places of teaching and learning, how can universities tangibly create a culture of togetherness and well-being? Here, Jochen Schellinger explains Bern University of Applied Sciences’ efforts to d ...
Collaborative teaching is finally gaining momentum in and between European universities. But what tangible benefits does this offer to teachers and their institutions? Here, Joan-Tomàs Pujolà outlin ...
Martin Prchal expands the debate on teaching and learning to how institutions should see themselves as learners in their continuous endeavours to improve the learning experience of their students. Her ...
The culture of interdisciplinarity and co-creation is one of the strongest assets of research and innovation in the quest for sustainability. As honest brokers and exponents of this approach, universi ...
Universities must rethink the way they address digital transformation. Strategic planning must evolve to take advantage of opportunities in the digital world and organisations must learn to use data m ...
The emotional health of students in Europe is receiving increased attention. Here, Valérie Van Hees and Ronny Bruffaerts reflect on the existing European landscape and introduce a new project to supp ...
Enhancing the social dimension of higher education has been a central pillar of the Bologna Process since its inception. The Rome Communiqué of 2020 and Erasmus+ 2021-2027 both place inclusion firmly ...
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 ...
The European University Association reflect on the Commission’s latest package of higher education proposals.The European Commission’s new higher education package is welcomed by Europe’s univer ...
The Uzbek higher education system and its institutions were able to respond promptly to the situation caused by the Covid-19 pandemic. Since 2016, the national Higher Education Reform Experts (HEREs) ...
Plan can boost international collaboration, provided member states engage, say Thomas Jørgensen and Anna-Lena Claeys-Kulik.On 18 January, the European Commission launched a new policy strategy f ...
Micro-credentials are expected to widen participation in higher education by supporting inclusion and facilitating access to education. They are also expected to close the skills gaps in the labour ma ...
Current assessment practices do not reflect what students know, understand and what they can do. A new assessment literacy that emphasises evidence-based instruction and self-regulation in student lea ...
EUA recently conducted an internal study mapping the impact of its learning and teaching activities. This article offers insights into the findings and how they might be useful to institutional, natio ...
We must fundamentally address how to shape learning in the digital transformation. Breaking down the “Hagen Manifesto on New Learning”, Annabel Bils from FernUniversität explains why now is the t ...
A successful curriculum is interdependent with a successful assessment. Manuel João Costa from the University of Minho emphasises the importance of institutions understanding their own assumptions ab ...
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 ...
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 ...
EU policy makers often fail to consider the specific nature of higher education, research and innovation in legislation aimed to shape Europe’s digital transformation. EUA expert Bregt Saenen explai ...
External quality assurance across the European Higher Education Area is highly diverse. EQAR’s Melinda Szabo maps the situation through the rich datasets of the Database of External Quality Assuranc ...
The European Commission’s global approach to research and innovation is an ambitious vision for the whole global knowledge system. However, as this University World News article highlights, universi ...
The quality-led rationale of digitalisation in learning and teaching slowly moves back onto the agenda of higher education institutions – accelerated and enriched by experiences resulting from the C ...
The European Commission aims at developing a “European strategy for universities” to strengthen synergies between teaching, research, innovation and service to society by better linking related Eu ...
A new EUA study reveals that higher education institutions in Europe are highly engaged in activities that address environmental challenges and the achievement of the UN Sustainable Development Goals ...
Higher education graduates are faced with an ever-growing expectation to be digitally apt and well versed in an international environment. As Aloys Krieg of RWTH Aachen University points out, these to ...
The Covid-19 crisis has led to a widening of the scope and role of internal quality assurance at universities and a shifting of the focus of evaluation practices. With the challenge of ensuring the qu ...
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 ...
When Covid-19 forced universities to quickly switch to online and blended learning and teaching, the European University Association was already deep into the preparation of a study on the topic. This ...
Europe’s universities are upping their game for the new decade, to meet the challenges of our digital and green transitions, writes Amanda Crowfoot.As the pandemic has shown, research and innovation ...
We enter into a New Year, a world more enriched and more impoverished than just 12 months ago. We have endured great loss of life, a heavy burden of illness and deep economic shock. Yet, lessons from ...
In this article, the EUA Secretary General contributes to UIIN’s newly released “The Future Universities Thoughtbook - Universities During Times of Crisis”. She analyses how universities have ri ...
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 ...
The radical digitalisation of higher education due to the Covid-19 crisis offers an opportunity to engage in deeper institutional change addressing the digital and green transitions. As Natalia Timus ...
Fair recognition in the European Higher Education Area can only be fully achieved if practices in higher education institutions are more systematically addressed. As Jenneke Lokhoff at Nuffic points o ...
As reflected by the European Green Deal, the environmental revolution is likely the main challenge of the 21st century. And it is a great opportunity for Europe to take the lead. But, according to Kar ...
The European Commission should learn from the Bologna process, which has shown how universities can work together with policymakers to bring about meaningful education reform, argues Tia Loukkola. Th ...
Micro-credentials are growing exponentially in popularity, attracting the interest of various stakeholders due to their flexibility and ability to meet the demands of a rapidly changing labour market. ...
The Standards and Guidelines for Quality Assurance in the European Higher Education Area (ESG) have led to major developments, however there are now proposals for revisions. EUA expert Tia Loukkola lo ...
The idea of a European degree is fascinating and attractive, but it also raises many conceptual and practical questions. What does a European degree mean? How would it differ from the current degrees ...
In recent years, a series of new international university rankings have come into the spotlight. Their focus differs from those of more established, comprehensive rankings in that they aim to highligh ...
In Georgia, higher education institutions traditionally offered classroom learning and teaching before the Covid-19 crisis. The state of emergency changed this as universities quickly switched to onli ...
Almost 90% of European higher education institutions moved online in April and May due to the Covid-19 crisis. This would not have been possible some ten years ago. EUA expert Michael Gaebel gives a b ...
In the July 2019 edition of the EU-LAC Newsletter, Federica Mogherini, then the High Representative of the European Union, wrote that “Although separated by geography, Europe and Latin America are c ...
As universities move many activities online in the fallout of the Covid-19 crisis, doctoral schools face unique challenges. EUA-CDE Head Alexander Hasgall discusses the impact on early-career research ...
The role of students in universities is changing and should change. With an increasing focus on skills building and individual learning paths, students can no longer passively receive education. Nina ...
The Bologna Follow-up Group has developed a new strategic document that defines ten principles and guidelines to strengthen the social dimension of higher education in Europe. Ninoslav Scukanec Schmid ...
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 ...
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 ...
Cross-border quality assurance has been slow in the making over the past two decades. However, as EUA’s Tia Loukkola explains, a new political context in Europe and the launch of new networks and co ...
As societies transform, diversity is becoming a key concern for higher education institutions across Europe, impacting learning and teaching, research and institutional cultures. EUA’s Thomas E. Jø ...
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 ...
Numerous cases of positive change in higher education systems can be attributed to EUA’s Institutional Evaluation Programme (IEP). As IEP celebrates its 25th anniversary, Andrée Sursock looks back ...
European higher education has made tremendous progress since the Bologna Declaration. As EUA President Michael Murphy writes, there is much to celebrate, but still much to achieve in ensuring the sect ...
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 ...
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 ...
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 ...
In line with Emmanuel Macron’s speech and discussions at the recent Social Summit in Gothenburg, let’s put education at the heart of a more social and prosperous Europe, argue Michael Gaebel and T ...
When we think of how Europe can best invest in research and innovation, we often instinctively foresee putting our money behind new scientific discoveries and technological devices engineered to bette ...
Since the beginning of time scientific research has been based on exchanges between peers: personal letters, books, articles in specialised journals. But the last 70 years have seen a burst in this se ...
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 ...
The South African government has expressed its ambition to substantially increase the number of doctoral graduates by 2030. Graduates will be prepared for a world that is more connected in both cultur ...
The Bologna Process for Learning and Teaching (BP4LnT) project explores the implementation of student-centred learning (SCL) and lifelong learning (LLL) across the European Higher Education Area (EHEA ...
The European University Association’s Leadership Development Programme equips senior university leaders with the skills, foresight and networks needed to steer universities through increasing comple ...
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 ...
The LOTUS project aims to contribute to capacity building and strategic change management for learning and teaching at higher education institutions across Europe. ...
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 ...
“Yebo! Development of the Internationalization of PhD Studies in South-Africa” (2017-20) is an Erasmus+ funded project focused on further developing the internationalisation of doctoral education ...
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 MIMIR project was part of a cooperation process between Arab and European universities aimed at developing a strategic Euro-Mediterranean partnership and turning the Mediterranean region into a co ...
The University of Barcelona (Coordinator) and the European University Association (EUA) comprise the consortium ‘SPHERE’ (Support and Promotion for Higher Education Reform Experts), an initiative ...
The ATHENA project contributed to the development, reform and modernisation of higher education systems in the Eastern Neighbouring partner countries Armenia, Moldova and Ukraine. ...
The FRINDOC project was managed by a consortium of six partners, coordinated by EUA, and consisting of the University of Hong Kong, Stellenbosch University, Imperial College London, the University of ...
Europe’s universities are increasingly developing partnerships in their research and innovation missions, embracing the “Open Innovation model” of university-business collaboration and seeking t ...
European universities advance sustainability in numerous ways, and have done so for many decades. The European University Association’s vision for 2030 – Universities without walls – states tha ...
In its vision for 2030, ‘Universities without walls’, the European University Association calls for a reform of academic careers. In parallel, EUA’s Strategic Plan, adopted in 2020, includes a c ...
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 free movement of people to study within Europe is a founding principle and long-term objective of the European Higher Education Area (EHEA). Well-functioning, fair and transparent recognition of f ...
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 ...
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. ...
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 European University Association’s Trends 2027 survey is now open for contributions. ...
The European University Association is currently looking for member universities to take part in its 2026-2027 Learning & Teaching Thematic Peer Groups. ...
The European University Association is looking for new members for its Learning & Teaching Steering Committee, which oversees its Learning & Teaching policies and activities. ...
The call for contributions for the 2026 European Learning & Teaching Forum is now open. ...
EUA is currently looking for member universities to take part in its 2025 Learning & Teaching Thematic Groups. ...
The call for contributions for the 2025 European Learning & Teaching Forum is now closed. Authors of submitted proposals will be informed in December 2024 whether their submission has been accepte ...
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. ...
