Universidade Aberta guided OpenEU partners in advancing digital education during visits to Bulgaria and Latvia

The visits to partner institutions in Bulgaria and Latvia formed part of a shared OpenEU effort to strengthen digital education capacity through expert guidance, knowledge exchange, and collaborative institutional development.

Experts from Universidade Aberta (Portugal) recently visited partner institutions in Bulgaria and Latvia as part of the OpenEU European University Alliance, reinforcing cooperation and providing expert guidance for the ongoing digital transformation of higher education across the network.

At Daugavpils University (Latvia), Professor Leonel Morgado visited the institution on 9–10 March to assess the university’s level of digitalisation and provide expert guidance through the institution’s comprehensive digital transformation process to enable online teaching. During the visit, meetings were held with members of the university’s management, academic services, administrative staff, pedagogy members and student representatives to prepare the technology and digital solutions used in teaching and learning, the e-learning environment, and current approaches to digital pedagogy. The discussions aimed to identify opportunities to strengthen the digital study process transformation and promote a modern, student-centred learning environment within the OpenEU framework.

Meanwhile, in Bulgaria, Professors Arnaldo Santos and Henrique S. Mamede from the Department of Science and Technology at Universidade Aberta visited St. Cyril and St. Methodius University of Veliko Tarnovo to continue the collaborative work on digital transformation in higher education. During their stay, the Portuguese scholars met with the university leadership, including Rector Dimitar Dimitrov and Vice-Rector for International Affairs Anna Ivanova, as well as representatives of the academic and administrative staff, to review the institution’s progress and discuss strategic steps for modernising teaching and learning processes.

As part of the programme, the visiting professors also delivered an open lecture on Digital Transformation and Artificial Intelligence in Learning Organizations, which attracted students, researchers, and professionals interested in understanding how digital technologies are reshaping organisations and education. The lecture included real-world case studies from sectors such as pharmaceuticals and telecommunications, illustrating how organisations can manage digital transformation while fostering learning cultures.

Through these visits, Universidade Aberta contributed expert guidance to OpenEU partner universities as they advanced their digital transformation, strengthened institutional capacity, and promoted more innovative, inclusive, and student-centred learning environments.

The exchanges also strengthen collaboration among OpenEU institutions, promoting the sharing of knowledge and best practices in digital education and advancing the alliance’s mission to build a learner-centred, inclusive, digital and green European open university.