Ongoing developments such as the rise of artificial intelligence, changing demographics, labour market demands and learning needs, as well as larger-scale societal shifts towards a knowledge economy have spurred reflections on how higher education can safeguard its fitness-for-purpose and relevance in the future. These reflections, in turn, have repeatedly pointed to a need for more innovative approaches to learning and teaching. This need concerns all aspects of how higher education is delivered, but the focus of this Forum will be on how staff development can be (re- )designed to facilitate innovation in learning and teaching, with systemic impact on student learning.
How can institutions develop their staff’s capacity to adequately use – and perhaps even themselves develop – innovative pedagogical methods, resources and tools? Which approaches work to give due support and recognition to early adopters, and how can their impact be evaluated? Finally, how can staff be equipped with the agility to adapt to and tackle future educational challenges, and be encouraged to become innovators themselves? These and other questions will be the focus of the 2026 edition of the European Learning & Teaching Forum.
Through a mix of plenary and parallel sessions, the Forum provides a platform for discussion and exchange of practice on how universities enhance, innovate and transform learning and teaching. The Forum also presents the work of the 2025 Learning & Teaching Thematic Peer Groups. It aims to gather higher education professionals working at different levels on matters of learning and teaching to exchange and discuss institutional practice and policy developments. The Forum is an ideal event for vice-rectors for academic affairs, deans, heads of learning and teaching centres, and management involved in learning and teaching. It also welcomes students, policy makers and other stakeholders in higher education.
Visit https://eua.eu/events/eua-events/2026-european-learning-teaching-forum.html
