OpenEU alliance meets in The Hague as partner rectors Àngels Fitó and Stefan Stürmer take leadership roles at EADTU

Today marks the start of three days of strategic working sessions for the OpenEU European University Alliance at Open Universiteit’s new Spui campus in The Hague. Taking place from 28 to 30 October alongside the Innovating Higher Education Conference 2026 (I-HE2026), organised by the European Association of Distance Teaching Universities (EADTU), the meeting gathers more than 50 university leaders, coordinators, researchers, and student representatives from 10 partner universities across 9 European countries 

The gathering opens with a defining milestone: the election of two rectors from OpenEU partner universities to EADTU's leadership board during its General Assembly this morning. Prof. Dr Àngels Fitó, Rector of the Universitat Oberta de Catalunya (UOC) and President of OpenEU, was officially elected President of EADTU. Fitó, who served as Vice-President since 2025, succeeds Prof. Dr Theo Bastiaens, Rector of Open Universiteit (OUNL) and a founding member of OpenEU, who led the association since October 2022. In the same assembly, Prof. Dr Stefan Stürmer, Rector of FernUniversität in Hagen and also a member of the OpenEU alliance, was elected as the new Vice-President of EADTU. 

Reflecting on her election and the roadmap ahead, Prof. Dr Àngels Fitó highlighted the shared vision uniting both organisations: 

"OpenEU and EADTU share a commitment to making higher education more accessible, flexible and inclusive. That’s why EADTU has been part of our alliance since the very beginning. EADTU brings the leading universities in open and distance education in Europe and beyond, while OpenEU is working to establish the European Open University that reinforces this shared vision with concrete transnational opportunities for learners. As President of OpenEU, and now President of EADTU, I can confirm that the cooperation already established will continue to grow”.

A shared home for European educational cooperation

Welcoming alliance delegates to the Netherlands, Prof. Dr Theo Bastiaens underlined the importance of this joint venue:

"Welcoming OpenEU to the OUNL campus mirrors our ongoing commitment to European educational cooperation, which now finds a vibrant, shared home in our new, inspiring hub in the heart of the Netherlands."

Bastiaens also highlighted the natural partnership between both bodies:

"OpenEU and EADTU work hand in hand. OpenEU focuses on the heart of teaching—flexible and accessible learning for students—while EADTU drives the broader European vision, projects, and innovation research. Together, we truly open doors across Europe."

Tangible results: first joint degree, T-LED project, and case studies

Under this year’s conference theme, “From Innovation to Impact: Transforming Higher Education at Scale”, OpenEU is demonstrating that flexible and open higher education is already a working reality for students across Europe.

Throughout the three-day conference, the alliance is presenting key milestones and practical developments:

• Launch of OpenEU’s first joint degree: An accredited, jointly delivered study programme created by partner institutions, marking a major step towards borderless higher education in Europe.

• Co-designing the European Degree Label through T-LED project: Progress on the new T-LED project, which focuses on defining criteria for the European Degree Label in digital, open, and blended formats.

• Five institutional case studies: Dedicated conference sessions showcasing successful OpenEU initiatives in stackable micro-credentials, virtual mobility, and flexible study pathways.

• Responsible artificial intelligence: Ongoing collaboration to create practical guidelines for the ethical and pedagogical use of AI in teaching, learning, and assessment.

• Quality assurance and digital equity: Shared standards to keep online and distance learning inclusive, high-quality, and open to all learners.

These milestones directly support the European Commission's European Universities initiative under the Erasmus+ programme. By testing joint degrees, pioneering micro-credentials, and setting benchmarks for digital equity, OpenEU actively translates Europe’s higher education strategy into practical, accessible pathways for learners across the continent.

The working sessions continue in The Hague through Friday, 30 October. You can follow live updates and discover more about upcoming joint study opportunities by exploring the official conference schedule.