Final dissemination conference

Monday 17 October 2022

The European project POWERHEAD (Empowering Higher Education in Adopting Digital Learning) aims to answer the following questions:

  • How can digital learning in higher education be stimulated?
  • How can higher education institutions further shape their digitalisation policy?
  • How can national authorities support higher education institutions on this topic, given their autonomy?

During the final conference, the project partners will present the gathered insights on digital learning and teaching in higher education and share the developed guidelines on digital learning in higher education, aimed to inspire both national authorities and higher education institutions (HEIs). The guidelines can be used by different countries in different ways, e.g. to inspire a specific strategy on digital learning or to be incorporated in a national strategy for higher education or to use as a checklist for HEIs.

Furthermore, we will look at and discuss the next steps. What actions can representatives of HEIs take to enhance digitalisation in their institutions, both with regards to teaching and learning and in terms of secondary processes that are related to the broader organisation of higher education? How can national policy makers use these guidelines to advance digitalisation policy in their country and support sustainable digitalisation in higher education? Which other actors can be involved, and how?

Draft programme

10.30

Registration and coffee

11.00

Welcome address

11.10

Presentation of the project, by the coordinator – Magalie Soenen, Department of Education and Training Belgium/Flemish Community

11.30

Presentation of the common guidelines and recommendations – Simon Grymonprez, Flemish Education Council

12.15

Panel discussion: reflection on the guidelines by different relevant stakeholders

12.45

Lunch break

14.00

Breakout session #1

  • Option 1: Vision, policy, cooperation, stakeholders
  • Option 2: Skills and curriculum design
  • Option 3: Students
  • Option 4: Funding and infrastructure
14.45

Break

15.15

Breakout session #2

  • Option 1: How can higher education institutions further shape their digitalisation policy?
  • Option 2: How can national authorities support higher education institutions on this topic, given their autonomy?
  • Option 3: How can the European level further support digitalisation in higher education across Europe?
16.00

Closing plenary session with conclusions and final remarks

16.15

End of conference

Target group

National policy makers in higher education, representatives of higher education institutions (both at policy, teaching and support level), student representatives, digitalisation experts in higher education, representatives of (inter)national organisations, EU policy makers, EdTech representatives, other higher education stakeholders and persons interested in the interplay between higher education and digitalisation.

Practical information

The POWERHEAD Final Conference will take place in Brussels, Belgium: place: Flemish Ministry of Education and Training, Koning Albert II-laan 15. 

To encourage participants from other countries to join the conference, funding is available for (partial) reimbursement of travel and accommodation costs, up to €300 (max. €100 for accommodation and max. €200 for travel costs), for a determined number of participants (only for participants from outside of Belgium). Please indicate in the registration form whether you would like to request this reimbursement. Upon confirmation by the project partners of your reimbursement request, you will receive further information on the reimbursement modalities.

If you have any questions, please contact Carine De Smet, carine.desmet@vlor.be.