About the Summit
EADTU's annual EADTU-EU Summit in Brussels is a recurring networking event focused on discussing emerging trends and new policy directions in higher education. The Summit is a unique moment in bringing together European umbrella organisations, staff of the European Commission, university networks and other stakeholders (enterprises, social partners).

About EADTU
The European Association of Distance Teaching Universities (EADTU) is the leading institutional university network for online, open and distance higher education.

Theme and programme
This year's theme is 'Interoperability in action: connecting European higher education'.

The event explores how the concept of interoperability can strengthen collaboration and digital alignment in European higher education. The programme includes several expert presentations, a moderated discussion with university alliances, and a high-level closing panel discussion on future directions for policy and institutional collaboration. We close the event with a networking lunch.

Programme

09:00 Doors open / registration / welcome coffee

09:30 Opening

Georgi Dimitrov (Head of the Digital Education unit, European Commission)
Theo Bastiaens (President EADTU, Rector Open Universiteit)

09.45 Developing common learning opportunities through interoperability (Clare Phelan, European University Association)

10.10 A European Higher Education Interoperability Framework
Evelien Renders (Advisor international education, SURF)

10.30 Coffee break

11.00 Interoperability & University Alliances: the practice and the big picture (moderated discussion)

Carmen Pages (OpenEU / Universitat Oberta de Catalunya)
Ben Parker (EuroTeQ Campus / Eindhoven University of Technology)
Bert Willems (Una Europa / KU Leuven)

Moderated by Pastora Martinez (Coordinator OpenEU alliance)

11.45 Closing panel, summit conclusions
Panel members include Angels Fito (Rector, Universitat Oberta de Catalunya), Michael Gaebel (Head of the Higher Education Policy Unit, European University Association) and Achilles Kameas (Dean, Faculty of Science and Technology, Hellenic Open University).

Moderated by Theo Bastiaens (President EADTU)

12.30 Networking Lunch

13:30 End

Registration (free, on-site/online)

Both on-site and online access tickets are available. Please select the ticket of your preference when registering. Please note that on-site tickets are limited, so we encourage you to register early to secure your spot.

In case you select an Online ticket you will receive the access link to the livestream of the Summit a few days before the event (by e-mail).

Disclaimer

Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA). Neither the European Union nor EACEA can be held responsible for them.

EADTU-EU Summit 2025