OpenEU begins 2026 with a new push for international collaboration, with two staff weeks

The first events of the year, hosted by FernUniversität and the Universitat Oberta de Catalunya (UOC), focused on microcredentials, digital transformation and innovation in higher education.

 OpenEU has begun 2026 with a renewed push for international collaboration, through two Staff Weeks hosted by FernUniversität and the Universitat Oberta de Catalunya (UOC). These first events of the year reinforced cooperation among partner institutions and marked another step forward in knowledge exchange, innovation and digitalisation across the alliance.

FernUniversität in Hagen hosted the year's first OpenEU Staff Week from 9 to 12 March. This international meeting, which was centred on microcredentials, brought together participants from across the alliance to strengthen institutional ties, exchange ideas and explore the future of flexible learning in higher education. It was the first of four Staff Weeks for the OpenEU alliance community scheduled for 2028.

The central question guiding this event was how short, flexible learning opportunities can be recognised across Europe. Microcredentials are increasingly seen as a key tool for promoting lifelong learning. They enable learners to acquire specific skills, continue their education or reskill professionally without enrolling in a full degree programme. 

Discussions therefore focused on the design, quality assurance, pedagogical challenges and recognition of microcredentials, all with the aim of aligning the OpenEU alliance with new perspectives on flexible learning and jointly ensuring quality in lifelong education.

Overall, the Staff Week provided a valuable platform for sharing practical experiences, identifying common standards and, above all, strengthening cooperation within the OpenEU alliance.

The second Staff Week took place at the Universitat Oberta de Catalunya (UOC) from 16 to 19 March. This international event focused on connecting knowledge, alliances and technology in the context of education and digital transformation.

 The main topics addressed during the meeting included the use of artificial intelligence in university teaching, learning analytics for academic decision-making, strategies to strengthen digital assessment, pedagogical innovation in digital environments, multilingual learning settings, and the role of the university as an agent of social change and knowledge transfer. In addition, the UOC campus hosted a continuous poster exhibition throughout the week, featuring projects on teaching innovation, quality in online education and new tools for digital learning.

Over the four-day initiative, professionals from 12 different countries took part, most of them from higher education institutions within the OpenEU alliance, including Germany, Iceland, Bulgaria, Portugal, Cyprus, Greece and Latvia.

For Pastora Martínez Samper, the UOC’s Commissioner for International Action and coordinator of OpenEU, initiatives like this demonstrate the value of collaboration between universities. She said: “The diversity of profiles and institutions reflects the richness and potential of international cooperation between universities. University networks and strategic alliances make it possible to connect knowledge, share experiences and strengthen a collaborative model of higher education that is more open, innovative and aligned with the needs of society.”

Bifröst University in Iceland, St. Cyril and St. Methodius University of Veliko Tarnovo in Bulgaria, and Universidade Aberta in Portugal will host the next Staff Weeks scheduled for 2026. These initiatives reflect OpenEU’s commitment to building a more connected, innovative and inclusive European higher education landscape.