Europe Task Force
The Global Advocacy Campaign (GAC) task force for Europe will work on advancing inclusive, scalable, and sustainable education in Europe.
Task force actions in 2025 – 2026:
1. Establish context-relevant definitions of inclusive, scalable and sustainable, and agree priority issues/objectives in these areas (2025)
2. Co-create principles of inclusion, scalability and sustainability for European DL and blended institutions with staff and students (2025)
3. Invite, quality-check and publish case study examples of principles in practice (2025-26)
4. Identify areas where advocacy is needed in order to apply principles more widely and effectively (i.e. where observed good practice in one area/member state is not possible in others and advocacy is needed) (2026)
Get involved!
We are now seeking contributions – share your work through a case study on inclusivity, scalability or sustainability in distance and technology-enhanced learning.
Selected contributions will be highlighted in the ICDE online toolkit and knowledge exchange network.
Submit your contribution via email to GACEurope@arden.co.uk by 24 December 2025.
Submission detail
The goal is to capture and share diverse examples of how institutions, educators, and professional teams are designing, delivering, and supporting distance education that is equitable, resilient, and adaptable to changing contexts. Selected case studies will be featured in an online toolkit & knowledge exchange network and may inform upcoming publications.
Focus Areas
We welcome case studies of inclusivity, sustainability and/or scalability in practice. Submissions may relate to any aspect of higher education, including curriculum design, assessment, learner support, digital transformation, quality assurance, leadership, or partnership working.
Case Study Format
Please structure your case study as follows:
1. Title (up to 15 words)
2. Author(s) and affiliation(s)
3. Context and Rationale – what challenge or opportunity did your initiative address?
4. Approach/Intervention – what was done, and how was it implemented?
5. Outcomes and Impact – what difference did it make or is it making? How do you know?
6. Reflections and Lessons Learned – what worked, what didn’t, and why?
7. Future Directions (optional) – how is the work being sustained or scaled?
Length: 400 – 800 words Style: Please use plain English and avoid institutional jargon; include headings and subheadings for clarity.
· Deadline for submissions: 24 December 2025
· Submit to: GACEurope@arden.ac.uk
· Queries: Contact Kate or Mychelle if you’d like to discuss your idea before submitting, or you can attend our online GAC drop-in session on Wed 26 Nov at 14:00 GMT (15:00 CET) (join link).
All submissions will be reviewed for clarity, relevance, and contribution to the overarching themes of inclusivity, scalability, and sustainability. Authors of selected case studies may be invited to revise their work for publication or presentation.
Key Dates
· Call opens: Monday 13 October 2025 · Online drop-in session: Wednesday 26 November at 14:00 GMT (15:00 CET) (join link).
· Submission deadline: 24 December 2025
· Notification of selection: 15 February 2025
Task force leads
About the task force leads
The Europe task force is jointly led by the Open University UK and Arden University.
Mychelle Pride is the Academic Director in PVC-Students at the Open University UK. She is passionate about high-quality inclusive and equitable distance education, student voice and student mental health. Most recently, Mychelle has been exploring the art of the possible in AI-enabled personalised learning.
Professor Kate Lister is the Director of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion at Arden University, and is a visiting professor at the Open University UK. Her work focuses on embedding inclusion, accessibility and mental wellbeing in higher education, particularly for ‘non-traditional’ students and staff in digital, part-time, distance or blended learning settings.