Scope and themes

Scope

Over the past years, universities have intensified a deeper transformation of teaching and learning in higher education, based on e-learning and online education. New modes of teaching and learning create new opportunities for enhancing the quality of the learning experience for on campus students, for reaching out to new target groups off campus and for offering freely accessible open education through the internet (OERs, MOOCs). They support the quality, visibility and reputation of the institution.

Themes

1. Strategies for the future of continuous professional development
- National and institutional policies in the changing pedagogical landscape
- Flexible continuing education (incl.CPD) and new types of courses (short learning programmes) to accommodate 25+ students
- Modular education, short learning programmes
- University-business collaboration

2. Open education and widening participation
- OERs and MOOCs
- Equal opportunities
- Adaptive learning

3. Research and innovation for new modes of teaching and learning
- Online and blended course design
- Learning analytics and learning technologies
- Assessment
- Virtual laboratories

4. HE for a divers future
- Social inclusion
- Higher education for minorities (refugees, migrants)
- Multi-cultural education

5. Engaging students for learning at all stages of life
- Retention issues

6. Policies for change in Higher Education
- Empowering universities for excellence in higher education, improving the quality of higher education
- The modernisation agenda for European universities: education for innovation and entrepreneurship/intrapreneurship
- Internationalisation (Networked curricula and virtual mobility)
- Leadership in change

7. Quality assurance and accreditation of online and blended higher education
- Recognition