TUC: HDS.Forum 2025: Cross-border exchange strengthens the future of higher education
European University Alliances as Drivers of Innovative Teaching
On 23–24 October 2025, the HDS.Forum 2025 took place at Chemnitz University of Technology under the theme “Individualisation in Higher Education. Inspiration from European University Alliances.” The event was organised by Hochschuldidaktik Sachsen (HDS), Chemnitz University of Technology, and the European University Alliance Across. Teaching staff, students, and representatives from five European university alliances came together to discuss how European cooperation can enhance teaching, mobility, and institutional development.
A pre-conference brought together members of the ARQUS and Across alliances—an important step towards stronger inter-alliance collaboration and exchange.
The forum focused on practical examples of innovative, internationally networked teaching:
- Intercultural Learning: Dr. Anna Santucci (University of Virginia) highlighted how cultural awareness and reflection are key to inclusive, individualized teaching and learning.
- European Teaching Formats: The EUTOPIA alliance presented its “Connected Communities” model — cross-university learning projects that foster joint research and innovation in teaching.
- Students as Partners: Contributions from the European University Association emphasized how students can become active co-creators of teaching and develop as global citizens and agents of change.
- Mobility & Joint Programmes: Representatives from ARQUS and Across discussed how joint degrees, hybrid mobility, and digital learning spaces can be better integrated into curricula.
- Digital Learning & Micro-Credentials: Across presented its shared digital learning and collaboration platform. Drawing on experiences from the ECIU University, discussions explored how micro-credentials can promote flexible, individualized learning paths and contribute to a future European qualification framework.
These diverse contributions demonstrated that European University Alliances are catalysts for innovation and mutual learning. They create new opportunities for educators and students to collaborate across borders and to develop teaching competencies in an international context—valuable insights for building a European Teacher Training Academy within Across.
At the close of the forum, organisers drew a highly positive conclusion: cross-border cooperation has shown enormous potential for strengthening higher education teaching and for shaping its future together across Europe.
