Nicosia: The OpenEU alliance, coordinated by Universitat Oberta de Catalunya (UOC), has announced initial steps towards establishing the first Pan-European Open University, bringing together 14 universities, including the Open University of Cyprus, alongside 13 academic institutions, networks, NGOs, and businesses across Europe. OpenEU is one of the 14 new alliances funded under the European Union’s “European Universities 2024” initiative, marking a significant milestone for the Open University of Cyprus and the nation itself, as it contributes to the digital transformation of higher education and the integration of new technologies.
According to Cyprus News Agency, representatives from the 10 core universities within the OpenEU alliance convened in Barcelona on January 16-17, 2025, to lay the foundation for the project’s first year. Professor Stavros Stavrou, Rector of the Open University of Cyprus, emphasized the importance of European University alliances in shaping the future of higher education. He highlighted the role of OpenEU in advancing open and distance learning while promoting the digital transformation of European universities. The Open University of Cyprus partners with other institutions and entities to enhance inclusivity, openness, digital advancement, and environmental consciousness in higher education.
OpenEU aims to address lifelong learning, inclusion and equity, and digital transformation over the next four years. Its thematic focus includes climate change, European values and democracy, and digital transformation. The alliance, involving over 368,000 students and 24,000 academic and administrative staff members, prioritizes distance education, lifelong learning, mobility, employability, and inclusion. Future initiatives plan to offer joint international degree programs, microcredentials, a unified digital education and mobility space, and research activities to boost quality, innovation, and academic opportunities.
The core partners of OpenEU include Bifr¶st University in Iceland, Daugavpils University in Latvia, FernUniversit¤t in Hagen in Germany, Hellenic Open University in Greece, Open Universiteit in the Netherlands, Open University of Cyprus, Universidad Nacional de Educaci³n a Distancia in Spain, Universidade Aberta in Portugal, Universitat Oberta de Catalunya in Spain, and St Cyril and St Methodius University of Veliko Tarnovo in Bulgaria. Associated bodies include the European Association of Distance Teaching Universities (EADTU) and the International Association of Universities (IAU), with collaborating institutions from the UK, Albania, the Republic of North Macedonia, and Ukraine.