FernUniversität becomes a hotspot for digital education and collaboration!

FernUniversität becomes a hotspot for digital education and collaboration!

The FernUniversität in Hagen hosted the EADTU conference on October 15, 2025, which focused on innovative approaches in higher education. The event attracted participants from various countries, including Iceland, Cyprus, Portugal and Latvia, and provided a platform for international exchange through presentations, keynotes and workshops. Rector Prof. Stefan Stürmer emphasized the importance of this conference for the FernUniversität and for successful cooperation in the field of higher education. The motto of the conference was “Rethinking Higher Education: Engage, Adapt, Include” and reflected on the current challenges and opportunities of digital transformation.

In his opening speech, EADTU President Prof. Theo Bastiaens emphasized the need to transcend traditional boundaries and strive for stronger connections with learners and society. In this context, Prof. Àngels Fitó from the Universitat Oberta de Catalunya (UOC) addressed the politically motivated aspects of higher education and called for an improvement in academic standards. A particularly notable part of the conference was the “Student Voices” program, in which students shared their perspectives on digital education. The importance of creating community and overcoming loneliness in digital educational structures was also discussed.

Interoperability and digital solutions

The conference was part of a broader discussion on digital collaboration and harmonization in the European higher education area. The 13th European Distance Education Summit took place in Brussels in May 2025, where the focus was on the topic “Interoperability in action: connecting European higher education”. This meeting was organized by EADTU and aimed to promote full interoperability in the European Higher Education Area (EHEA). Representatives of the OpenEU Alliance, which includes FernUniversität, discussed the development of interoperable digital systems to support inclusion and lifelong learning.

Particularly noteworthy is the “openEU Professional GPS” tool developed within OpenEU. This tool aims to link learner profiles with labor market needs and is an example of interoperable solutions used to create shared virtual campuses and course catalogs. Carme Pagès from the UOC presented the tool and reported on more than 3,000 users at her university.

Future outlook

The conference in Hagen thus represented a significant step on the path to digital transformation in higher education. The event made it clear that such changes can only be achieved through close cooperation and active exchange between institutions. Martina Soddemann, deputy mayor of Hagen, emphasized the encouraging collaboration with the FernUniversität, which promotes an open and innovative teaching and learning environment.

The next EADTU conference will take place in The Hague, Netherlands in 2026. Finally, thanks were expressed to everyone involved, both speakers and participants as well as the organizers, who contributed to the success of the conference.