On October 30, within the framework of the Open Libraries: Open Learning, Open Science Conference, organized by the UNED Library in collaboration with CUED, the new alliance of European universities, OpenEU, approved by the European Commission (EC) in July 2024 and whose launch was echoed by UNED on its website, was presented. Coordinated by UOC, OpenEU is one of the 64 alliances approved by the EC in four calls and one of the 54 Spanish universities participating in 52 alliances. Fourteen European universities, including eight of the main European open and distance universities, and thirteen other non-academic organizations are part of the project, as well as three of the main international academic networks in Europe.
The Vice-Rector for Internationalization and Multilingualism of UNED, Laura Alba Juez, Fernando Val Garijo, Deputy Vice-Rector for Projects and International Relations, and Ángeles Sánchez-Elvira Paniagua, Director of the CUED, coordinators of the work carried out by UNED in the framework of the preparation of the project (in which members of the CUED have worked on the various work packages) intervened jointly with a presentation entitled “OpenEU: a strategic alliance of distance learning universities”, giving an overview of the alliance, considered as the only European pan-university of open universities, aimed at the digital and inclusive transformation of higher education in Europe, also reinforcing the ecological and social dimensions of the European Higher Education Area (EHEA).
The presentation addressed the main values and challenges of OpenEU, its members, structure, and main areas of work, as well as the role of UNED as coordinator of the internationalization area of the alliance, laying the foundations for future joint programs and international mobilities in the large multilingual campus that OpenEU will create. Finally, in the context of the Conference, the important role of the Libraries of the alliance in developing OpenEU principles regarding science and Open Education was highlighted.