Here is Edvance, the Portal for Digital Education in Italy

More than 200 free online courses, enriched with micro-credentials and open badges, provide students, academic and professional staff with advanced digital skills. This is the core of the Edvance project - the first Digital Education Hub for higher education dedicated to Advanced Digital Culture in Italy.

Born within the framework of PNRR (Mission 4 “Education and Research”), the project launches its access portal to all MOOCs in the Edvance network, both curricular and professional. These MOOCs are designed to enhance transdisciplinary inter-university programmes, in line with the principles of open education in terms of accessibility and resource reusability.

The University of Bologna is one of the 17 partner academic institutions involved (coordinated by the Polytechnic University of Milan) and will contribute to the design and implementation of MOOCs focused on artificial intelligence, data management, digital sustainability, and digital skills to support transdisciplinarity.

“Expanding and improving the quality of our training offer through innovative technological tools is a key element of our strategic plan”, says Giovanni Molari, Rector of the University of Bologna. “The Edvance project further strengthens our strategic initiatives by providing training courses and scientific updates to improve our university staff’s teaching skills, to support quality and innovation, including technological innovation and training activities. It also supports the development of multidisciplinary paths, including minors and micro-credentials”.

By integrating the use of artificial intelligence with humanistic and creative disciplines, Edvance enriches teaching interactivity and effectiveness, offering new resources for academic and professional paths. The project promotes modular training, which will allow students and staff to build tailor-made courses and to acquire specific skills aligned with labour market, which can be formally certified through micro-credentials and open badges.

Among the project objectives are the definition of high and shared standards for the creation of online educational content, the effective integration of online and traditional learning, and the creation of training paths for academic staff. These will focus on the technological, methodological, and regulatory guidelines for ensuring MOOCs quality, including the integration of AI and methodologies and technologies for producing high-quality digital teaching.

Partner institutions include Polytechnic University of Milan, Bocconi University, Alma Mater Studiorum – University of Bologna, Humanitas University, Ca’ Foscari University of Venice, University of Trento, University of Turin, Polytechnic University of Turin, University of Brescia, University of Macerata, University of Pisa, University of Cagliari, University of Messina, Conservatory of Cagliari, Academy of Fine Arts of Venice, and Civica Scuola di Musica of Milan. In addition, prominent associated partners include the Centre for High Defence Studies (CASD), Fondazione Bruno Kessler, Fondazione Compagnia di San Paolo, Emilia-Romagna Region, Randstad, and AWS Amazon.