A meeting at Alba Iulia University (Romania) marked the transition from the submission phase to the first implementation phase, an exchange of ideas and the first General Assembly, including a constituent meeting of the Executive Board and Management Board
In mid-April 2024, important decisions were made regarding the content and structure of the transnational alliance „European University for Academic Continuing Education“ (EU.ACE). Friedrich Faulhammer, Rector of the University for Continuing Education Krems, has been Chairman of the Executive Board for the first period since May 1, 2024. The first implementation steps for the topics of internationalization, digitalization, curriculum development, micro-credentials, societal effectiveness as well as communication and dissemination were taken in workshops of all working groups.
The transnational alliance EU.ACE aims to further develop and redefine lifelong learning in its institutions in line with the Bologna Process in order to facilitate access to higher education for students through appropriate formats and, accompanied by qualified staff, to ensure future-proof academic continuing education for them and for societal benefit. These far-reaching goals require an intensive discussion of issues in various fields. At the meeting at Alba Iulia University in Romania, the first activity of the Alliance after the submission phase, groups from the eleven EU.ACE member institutions worked from April 15 to 19, 2024 on initial steps to implement these topics.
Further developing continuing education concepts
After the opening by the Rector of the host university with inputs on „Becoming International Universities: European University Initiative“ and „EU.ACE: a vision for the future“, the workshops addressing the various aspects of EU.ACE started. One workshop dealt with „Internationalization through digitalization“ as a contribution to the EU.ACE – digitalCampus. This is also supported by a project project proposal on artificial intelligence in academic continuing education and a solution for the recognition of micro-credentials completed at EU.ACE partner universities. In the discussion of curriculum development, stackability, micro-credentials and the opening of existing courses to students from partner universities played an important role.
Strategies to actively promote employee wellbeing were discussed from an Australian perspective as a contribution to future human resource development in EU.ACE. Living Labs participants addressed the question of how transnational collaboration can work in augmented environments. The societal effectiveness of corresponding events was also discussed. Questions of a sustainable funding structure for alliance projects and activities were also addressed.
Structure of the Alliance
Further developments also took place at the structural level of the alliance, enabling resolutions to be passed and initial implementation steps to be taken: The first General Assembly of EU.ACE was held. The Executive Board and the Management Board were also constituted. Friedrich Faulhammer, Rector of the University for Continuing Education Krems, was elected Chair of the Executive Board for the first period from May 1 to October 31, 2024. His two deputies are Bénédicte Fauvarque-Cosson, General Administrator of the Conservatoire national des arts et métiers (CNAM) and Wilma Scholte op Reimer, President of the HU University of Applied Sciences Utrecht. An additional person from the top management of each partner institution was appointed to the Executive Board, with the University for Continuing Education Krems sending Prof. Viktoria Weber, Vice-Rector for Research and Sustainable Development.
Various meetings at governance, management and task team level were also held to improve networking and to initiate project applications and funded activities in the areas of academic continuing education, research and personnel development.
