Kick-off for EADTU: 200 guests from Europe at FernUni

This year's Innovating Higher Education Conference (I-HE 2025) was officially opened in Hagen. As host, FernUniversität in Hagen welcomes representatives from academia and practice from all over Europe to its campus. The focus is on the common goal of advancing the digital transformation of higher education and making it more inclusive, adaptable, and effective.

The conference motto, “Rethinking Higher Education: Engage, Adapt, Include,” reflects the central challenges of our time: the use of artificial intelligence in study and research, new learning paths through micro-credentials, innovative forms of digital certification, and the question of how higher education in Europe can remain open and accessible. The topics will be discussed in lectures, workshops, and meetings.

The role of international alliances such as OpenEU, in which FernUniversität is the only German university actively involved, is clear. The aim is to create flexible and sustainable educational pathways for learners of all ages and backgrounds, thereby strengthening the European idea of cooperation and participation. Delegations from all cooperating institutions make up the majority of conference participants.

The I-HE emphasizes that digital transformation can only succeed if we work together. It calls for the exchange of ideas, networking across national borders, and a shared commitment to ensuring that higher education remains a driving force for democracy, social cohesion, and innovation.