EADTU

EADTU, the European Association of Distance Teaching Universities, is the representative organisation of both the European open and distance learning universities and of the national consortia of higher education institutions active in the field of distance education and e-learning.

Its web site is http://www.eadtu.nl

The mission of EADTU

EADTU aims to promote the progress of open and distance education and e-learning and its position in Europe and in the world, through active support to the institutional development of its members and to the European co-operation between them in strategic areas. The framework of this is the creation of the European Area of Higher Education (Bologna Declaration), the national and European policies with regard to lifelong learning, the development of competencies for the European citizen and the innovation of e-learning and teaching by the use of ICT. To achieve these objectives EADTU has developed a programme of activities drawing on the strengths of individual members to create a joint response to perceived needs. EADTU's activities are based on the requirements and involvement of all the EADTU members on an equal basis. From 1 January 2006 EADTU is under British presidency, the current President being David Vincent of the UK Open University.

Activities of EADTU

EADTU is active in a wide field of LOF-learning issues. Areas EADTU is involved in include:

• EADTU organises annual conferences with specific relevance to the further development of the knowledge-based society and the continuation of the Bologna process.
• Execution of European projects.
• Task Forces: TF USBM (University Strategies and Business Models), TF Quality Assurance, TF EPICS (European Portal for International Courses & Services), TF on Research in LifeLong Learning, TF on Sustainable Development.
• EADTU is operating on a European level in close co-operation with the European Commission, especially with DG Education and Training and DG Information Society.
• In the last decade, several collaborative actions have been initiated between EADTU and Central and Eastern European Countries.

History of EADTU

EADTU was established in January 1987 by the principals of Europe's major distance teaching institutions to foster cooperation between European organisations dedicated to higher education through distance teaching methodology. EADTU is comprised of 21 national members from 19 countries collectively providing distance education programmes to over 2,000,000 students. All members of the association are non-profit institutions.

The EADTU Office

The EADTU office, based in Heerlen, The Netherlands, colocated with OUNL, provides support to member institutions in relation to educational cooperation and common projects. EADTU provides a strategic platform for the European activities of its members that reflects both the strength and expertise of EADTU members. As such EADTU has a vital role to play in determining the future of higher education in Europe.

Members

Open universities and distance teaching universities

• Anadolu University - Turkey
• FernUniversität in Hagen - Germany
• Hellenic Open University - Greece
• Moscow State University of Economics, Statistics and Informatics - Russia
• Open Universiteit Nederland - The Netherlands
• Open University - United Kingdom
• Universidad Nacional de Educación a Distancia - Spain
• Universidade Aberta - Portugal
• Università Telematica Internazionale UNINETTUNO - Italy
• Universitat Oberta de Catalunya - Spain

Associate members

• Athabasca University - Canada
• Télé-Université - Canada
• Universidad Técnica Particular de Loja - Ecuador

Associations

• Zentrum für Fernstudien Universität Linz, part of the Universität Linz - Austria
• Studiecentrum Open Hoger Onderwijs - Belgium
• Czech Association of the Distance Teaching Universities (Observer) - Czech Republic
• Danish Association of Open Universities - Denmark
• Estonian Information Technology Foundation - Estonia
• Hungarian e-University Network - Hungary
• National Distance Education Centre - Ireland
• Consorzio NETTUNO - Italy
• Distance Education Centre of Latvia (Observer) - based at the Faculty of Electronics and Telecommunications in Riga Technical University - Latvia
• Lithuanian National Distance Education Network - Lithuania
• Akademia Górniczo-Hutnicza - Poland
• Polish Virtual University - Poland
• Slovakian Association for Distance Higher Education - Slovakia
• Swedish Agency for Networks and Cooperation in Higher Education (NSHU), which runs the Swedish Net University - Sweden
• Universitäre Fernstudien Schweiz - Switzerland
• the Open Learning Foundation - United Kingdom
• the University of London External System - United Kingdom

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