From 22 to 26 June 2026, the Politehnica University of Timișoara hosted the 12th IEEE DEMOcon – Digital Education and MOOCs Conference, bringing together experts, researchers and higher education professionals to discuss the future of digital learning.
Representing the University of Turin and the UNITA Alliance, Professor Marina Marchisio Conte presented in the panel “Digital Experiences in European University Alliances” the Alliance’s progress in the development of its Digital Campus and the implementation of micro-credentials, illustrating how these initiatives are creating more flexible learning pathways while supporting collaboration, mobility, and community building across partner universities.
Her presentation highlighted the Digital Campus as an integrated ecosystem connecting educational resources, mobility opportunities, research activities, and shared digital services.
The presentation also highlighted the strategic role of micro-credentials in promoting lifelong learning and enabling flexible, recognised learning pathways across Europe, and it showcased UNITA’s work on the development of a shared micro-credential catalogue and the UNITA Label, as well as the Alliance’s collaboration with the Edvance Digital Education Hub for Higher Education.
Professor Marchisio also addressed the growing role of artificial intelligence within the Alliance, underlining its potential to support teaching, organisational processes, research, and innovation through initiatives such as the Digital Transition Hub.
The panel was chaired by Dr Eng. Diana Andone, Vice President of the IEEE Education Society and Director of the Digital & Distance Education Department at the Politehnica University of Timișoara. Among the invited speakers were Dr Eng. Andrei Ternauciuc, professor of Politehnica University of Timișoara, Professor Marina Marchisio Conte, of the University of Turin, Professor Carlos Delgado Kloos, of Universidad Carlos III de Madrid, co-chair of IEEE DEMOcon, and Professor Jesús Alcober, of the Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya.
IEEE DEMOcon 2026 also represented a valuable opportunity to exchange experiences and strengthen inter-alliance collaboration, bringing together representatives from several European University Alliances.
UNITA’s participation further reinforced the Alliance’s commitment to developing innovative digital solutions and contributing to the transformation of higher education at both the European and international levels.
More information: https://democon-conference.org/2026
