We wrote a short work-in-progress publication about „Work-in-Progress: Key Prerequisites for IT Infrastructures for Learning and Teaching of the European University Alliance “Unite!”
Abstract: In the dynamic landscape of higher education, digital technologies are crucial for fostering collaboration and knowledge dissemination. European universities are embracing this shift through “European Universities”, transnational alliances aimed at enhancing academic exchange and innovation. The Unite! alliance, as part of its Erasmus+ project, established the “Community Digital Campus” (Cm.2) to develop a modern digital campus framework. Based on an analysis to identify and document the technological, organizational, and legal needs for such a campus, using desk research, surveys, and stakeholder discussions, key requirements are formulated. Key requirements identified include ensuring interoperability among digital infrastructures, robust decision-making processes for IT, strategic support for existing systems, and addressing budgetary considerations for federated systems.
Reference: Ebner, M. et al. (2025). Work-in-Progress: Key Prerequisites for IT Infrastructures for Learning and Teaching of the European University Alliance “Unite!”. In: Auer, M.E., Rüütmann, T. (eds) Futureproofing Engineering Education for Global Responsibility. ICL 2024. Lecture Notes in Networks and Systems, vol 1260. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-85652-5_34
The Unite! alliance has developed the Metacampus, a federated LMS based on Moodle, to facilitate seamless collaboration and resource sharing among partner universities. This presentation showcases how the Metacampus supports teaching and learning across the alliance by addressing diverse needs and enabling innovative approaches. Key use cases where the Metacampus proves particularly beneficial are outlined, along with resources created to guide users, including detailed documentation, courses, and instructional videos (produced with AI avatars). Activities such as targeted training sessions and the streamlined submission of requests and special requirements via an integrated request form are highlighted. LTI pilot activities, aimed at integrating local LMS systems with the Metacampus, are presented, along with insights from regular E-Learning Support Group meetings. Success stories demonstrate the platform’s impact and potential for enhancing collaboration within Unite!. In conclusion, challenges extending beyond technical solutions are addressed, such as the lack of incentives to adopt Unite!-specific courses or to fully utilize the Metacampus. These insights foster dialogue on how to further support teaching and learning within the Unite! alliance.
Gasplmayr, K., Schön, S., Alcober, J., Ebner, M., & Molins, X. (2025, März 13). The Metacampus as a Teaching Hub for the Unite! Alliance. Presentation at the Unite! Ed Future Conference 2025, March 13, 2025. Graz University of Technology. https://doi.org/10.3217/eeqtz-1f759
Together with my colleagues, we contributed to the EUNIS 2024 conference in Athen with a publication about „Examining IT Infrastructures for Learning and Teaching in the European University Alliance Unite!„
Abstract: In the digital era, European University Alliances like „Unite!“ work to reshape tertiary education by bridging nine prominent universities to champion regional integration, technology transfer, and quality science and engineering education. This paper delineates the methodologies used to harmonize varied IT infrastructures visualizations and descriptions across partner institutions, fostering knowledge sharing and facilitating standardized IT landscape comparisons. The absence of a general universal approach in representing teaching-related IT systems in higher education propelled the development of a unique, synchronized representation methodology. The paper offers a look at TU Graz’s digital infrastructure as an illustrative example. Through iterative collaboration, the alliance will develop a comprehensive IT infrastructure report, aiming to serve as a valuable blueprint for other educational entities.
Reference: Ebner, M., Schön, S., Alcober, J., Bertonasco, R., Herczak-Ciara, A., Hoppe, C., Langevin, E., Gasplmayr, K., Reignier-Tayar, N., Martikainen, J., Laurent, R., Leitner, P., Petersson, J., Silva, F. M. D., Steitz, K., Taraghi, B., & Wuerz, A. (2025). Examining IT Infrastructures for Learning and Teaching in the European University Alliance Unite! In R. Vogl, L. Desnos, J.-F. Desnos, S. Bolis, L. Merakos, G. Ferrell, E. Tsili, & M. Roumeliotis (Hrsg.), Proceedings of EUNIS 2024 annual congress in Athens (Band 105, S. 276-283). (EPiC Series in Computing). EasyChair Ltd. https://doi.org/10.29007/6n28
Abstract: This paper introduces Teaching Management Patterns (TMP) as a descriptive and communicative framework for addressing challenges and decision-making processes related to IT infrastructure in the Unite! European university alliance. The aim is to support decision-making and consultation in utilizing the alliance’s IT infrastructure effectively. TMP offer abstract descriptions for educational scenarios, considering factors such as organizational structures, technical capabilities, legal frameworks, and didactic requirements. The paper presents the development of these patterns specifically for the Unite! alliance, highlighting their role in decision support for using the transversal, alliance wide learning management system, Metacampus. Three exemplary cases are presented to illustrate the challenges, including continuing education for staff, joint lectures involving multiple universities, and research contributions. The patterns are categorized based on their compatibility with Metacampus, providing visual representations. The paper also introduces a decision tree as a counseling tool for determining the appropriateness of using Metacampus, considering legal and organizational restrictions. In conclusion, TMP offer a systematic approach for addressing IT infrastructure complexities in a European university alliance. The presented patterns and decision tree serve as valuable consultation tools for decision-making processes regarding the use of the alliance’s IT infrastructure.
Reference: Schön, S., Gasplmayr, K., Ebner, M., Alcober, J., Hoppe, C., Koschutnig-Ebner, M., de Silva, F.M. & Taraghi, B. (2024). The Development of “Teaching Management Patterns” from the Perspective of IT Infrastructure as a tool for consulting and further development in a European university alliance. In T. Bastiaens (Ed.), Proceedings of EdMedia + Innovate Learning (pp. 137-146). Brussels, Belgium: Association for the Advancement of Computing in Education (AACE). Retrieved July 22, 2024 from https://www.learntechlib.org/primary/p/224515/.
We are excited to announce the publication of our new resource: OER about OER – Materials, Tools, and Methods. This collection, was initiated by Sandra Schön and me and enriched by the Unite! OER Courses project is designed to support educators, trainers, and institutions in developing and delivering Open Educational Resources (OER) courses.
The document includes practical insights into planning and running OER trainings, introduces open licenses, and provides templates, exercises, and creative methods like the „OER business model cards“ to help spark
discussions on sustainable OER use. Whether you’re new to OER or looking to deepen your knowledge, this resource is a valuable tool for expanding your understanding and application of OER in educational settings.
Cite it: Schön, Sandra & Ebner, Martin (2024). OER about OER. Materials, tools & methods. A collection of Open Educational Resources materials, tools and methods. Report of the Unite! OER Courses project, August 2024. URL: https://doi.org/10.3217/5bq59-j6c60
I did a second presentation at this year’s EDEN conference in Graz about „Usage of (Federated) Learning Management Systems in European University Alliances„. Find also my slides here:
Dive into the realm of OER, where educational materials are openly accessible, editable, and shareable. Discover how to utilize OER ethically and effectively, and earn badges and credits for your accomplishments!
Regarding the topic of Open Educational Resources, there will be a new MOOC available on the platform iMooX.at starting from May 6, 2024. The free online course „OER in Higher Education“ by the European University Alliance „Unite!“ and other cooperating partners will be accessible in several languages, and the learning videos are created with the help of artificial intelligence. The avatars of the course instructors – me and Sandra Schön from TU Graz – will now speak in French, Italian, Indonesian, and other languages in the course videos of the four units.
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After more than one year of exciting work in our community we are a little bit proud to present our first technical report about „Aligning IT infrastructures for digital learning amongst the European university alliance Unite! – The Unite! digital campus framework and requirements„:
The European university alliance „Unite!“ has embarked on a mission to bring together their higher education landscape. As part of this ambitious endeavour, the Erasmus+ Work Package 2, called “Community 2 Digital Campus” or „Cm.2“ for short, was established to shape and implement a cutting-edge digital campus framework within the alliance. The purpose of the present requirement analysis is to collect and list all the key technological, organizational, and legal needs and requirements for an up-to-date European digital campus. This analysis is built upon desk research, utilizing additional methods such as an online survey and stakeholder discussions within the entire Unite! alliance. The requirements analysis results are provided against the background of a short introduction (chapter 1), an overview of platforms for learning management in European university alliances (chapter 2), and a description of the analysis’ procedures, which are the development of descriptions of digital learning and teaching infrastructures of all partners, a survey of the status quo concerning European Student Card Initiative, a survey amongst e-learning support teams, an interactive event for stakeholders and literature and projects desk research (chapter 3). Chapter 4 introduces the federated infrastructures of the Unite! alliance, especially the Metacampus as a federated learning management system based on Moodle. Chapter 5 provides detailed descriptions (including visualizations) of all partners’ digital infrastructures for learning and teaching. Chapter 6 then shares the status quo of the European Student Card Initiative implementation by all partners. Chapter 7 presents five core requirements identified through the analysis, which are the requirements of (a) interoperability between the digital infrastructures of partners and with European standards, (b) the implementation of decision-making concerning IT infrastructure for the digital campus: the Technical Commission, (c) the strategic support for the effective utilization of existing IT systems, especially the Metacampus, (d) clarifying future (learning) scenarios, mobility, and other issues relating to development of the IT infrastructure, and (e) budgetary considerations for the development and maintenance of federated systems. Finally, chapter 8 sketches the next steps and the future of Community 2 Digital Campus and its tasks, and presents (a) the work plan and organisational structure for Community 2 Digital Campus, (b) further development of Metacampus support and resources (T2.3), (c) update of Metacampus and organisational development of support requests, (d) ESCI: improvement of service, (e) eduGAIN maintenance and further development (T2.6), (f) piloting of LTI and integration of MOOCs (T2.6), (g) implementation of meta-data standards for course description (T2.5, T2.6), and (h) support of openness and innovation (T2.1).
Furthermore find here some few slides acting as a kind of summary:
Reference: Ebner, M., Schön, S., Alcober, J., Bertonasco, R., Bonani, F., Cruz, L., Espadas, C., Filgueira Xavier, V., Franco, M., Gasplmayr, K., Giralt, J., Hoppe, C., Koschutnig-Ebner, M., Langevin, E., Laurent, R., Leitner, P., Martikainen, J., Matias, J., Muchitsch, M., … Würz, A. (2024). Aligning IT infrastructures for digital learning amongst the European university alliance Unite! – The Unite! digital campus framework and requirements (1.0). Unite! Community 2 Digital Campus, Graz University of Technology. https://doi.org/10.3217/36yen-0wy21
