Àngels Fitó, new president of the European Association of Distance Teaching Universities (EADTU)

The rector of the Universitat Oberta de Catalunya (UOC), Àngels Fitó, has been appointed president of the European Association of Distance Teaching Universities (EADTU), the leading European network for online, open and distance higher education. Fitó, who has served as vice president of the organization since 2025, was elected during the EADTU General Assembly, held on 28 October as part of the Innovating Higher Education Conference 2026 (I·HE2026) in The Hague, the Netherlands.

The appointment recognizes the UOC's track record as a pioneering institution in digital education, with more than 30 years of experience, and its leadership in promoting innovative, flexible and accessible learning models. It also strengthens its participation in a strategic forum for inter-university cooperation and influence on European digital higher education policies.

On taking over as president of EADTU, Àngels Fitó praised the organization for its work to date and stressed the importance of people in transforming institutions. "I hope to build on this strong foundation, together with all of you. Because institutions do not transform themselves. People do. And I have no doubt that our collective expertise will enable us to strengthen EADTU's role as a strategic partner in building a more inclusive, resilient and relevant European higher education system", she said.

Fitó succeeds Theo Bastiaens, rector of the Open University of the Netherlands, who had served as president of EADTU since October 2022. At the same General Assembly, Stefan Stürmer, Rector of FernUniversität in Hagen, was also appointed Vice-President of EADTU. This new chapter continues the UOC's commitment to a European network that comprises 28 members and represents more than 150 European universities. The network works to promote high-quality, accessible, flexible and inclusive online, open and distance higher education, and to foster cooperation between universities.

The challenges of transforming European higher education

Fitó's presidency begins at a time of transformation in European higher education, shaped by challenges such as the responsible integration of artificial intelligence, the evolution of digital learning models and the need to offer more flexible and personalized learning pathways.

In this context, EADTU will continue working in areas such as lifelong learning, microcredentials, diversity, digital equity and educational inclusion, the quality of distance higher education, and digital transformation. This year's I·HE2026 conference focuses specifically on the challenge of moving from innovation to systemic impact, with the aim of offering accessible, high-quality and sustainable higher education at scale.

The UOC strengthens its presence in international university organizations

The appointment adds to Àngels Fitó's institutional responsibilities within other university organizations. The rector is also president of OpenEU, the European university alliance coordinated by the UOC, and chairs both the Interuniversity Development Centre (CINDA) and the Catalan Public University Association (ACUP). Moreover, she is vice president of the Conference of Rectors of Spanish Universities (CRUE).

This active participation in university networks and organizations highlights the UOC's commitment to building alliances and fostering collaboration with other educational institutions, as well as its readiness to contribute its experience to debates about the future of higher education, particularly in the areas of digital transformation, educational innovation and access to knowledge.

About EADTU

The European Association of Distance Teaching Universities (EADTU) is Europe's leading university network for online, open and distance higher education. It has 28 institutional members and represents more than 150 European universities and nearly three million students. The association promotes educational innovation, teaching quality, flexible and inclusive access to higher education, and cooperation between universities. Its key areas of activity include lifelong learning, microcredentials, international mobility, teacher training and quality assurance in online education.