HEA Announces Funded Open Courses and Integration of My Digital Backpack

Posted: 18 December, 2025

The Higher Education Authority (HEA) has announced the National Professional Development Open Courses for Teaching and Learning that will be supported under the Open Courses Design and Delivery call for 2025.

The funded Open Courses reflect strong cross-institutional collaboration and address key national priorities in teaching and learning, including universal design, open education, academic integrity, immersive learning, global citizenship and intercultural awareness. Development and delivery of these courses will begin in January 2026, with opportunities open to participants from across the further and higher education sector.

A total of seven proposals were recommended for funding, with a total allocation of €155,978.

The funded initiatives are:

• University College Dublin (lead), AHEAD – Universal Design Next Steps: Empowering Every Learner
• University of Limerick (lead), Dublin City University, Trinity College Dublin, CCT College – Open Education: OER and OEP
• University of Galway (lead), University of Limerick, Board of Irish College Societies – Meitheal Skills Pack: Recognising Skills Gained through Extracurricular Community Engagement
• Technological University of the Shannon (lead), Munster Technological University, South East Technological University, University College Dublin – Teaching with XR: Designing and Delivering Immersive Learning Experiences
• Maynooth University (lead), University College Cork, Mary Immaculate College, STAND – Embedding Global Citizenship Education into Higher Education
• University College Cork (lead), National Academic Integrity Network, University of Limerick, CCT College, Dublin City University, Atlantic Technological University, University of Galway, Mary Immaculate College, Louth & Meath Education and Training Board, IBAT College Dublin – Design Assessments with Academic Integrity: From Fundamentals towards Sustainable Practice
• Munster Technological University (lead), INGENIUM Alliance – Developing Intercultural Awareness

Welcoming the announcement, Tim Conlon, Head of Policy and Planning at the HEA, said:

“Since its launch, Open Courses has provided accessible, flexible professional development opportunities for those who teach in higher education. The courses funded demonstrate the value of collaboration across institutions and sectors, and their strong alignment with national priorities ensures they will have an important role in advancing the ambitions set out in the HEA Strategy for Teaching and Learning.”

Colin Lowry, Senior Manager Teaching and Learning, Enhancement and Digital Innovation, said:

“Open Courses continue to play a vital role in supporting innovation and excellence in teaching and learning across higher education in Ireland. Those awarded reflect a strong commitment to openness, inclusion and innovation, and will support both staff and students to engage with new practices and build capability in areas that are critical to the future of teaching and learning in higher education.”

My Digital Backpack now integrated with Open Courses

The HEA also announced a significant development with the full integration of N-TUTORR My Digital Backpack with OpenCourses.ie. Developed under the National Technological University Transformation for Recovery and Resilience (N-TUTORR) programme, My Digital Backpack provides short, flexible learning opportunities focused on digital, professional and transversal skills.

Through this integration, over 18 short courses from My Digital Backpack are now available alongside Open Courses, extending access beyond staff to include students across the sector. This combined platform strengthens the national approach to professional and personal development, enabling learners to build skills aligned with employability, digital capability and lifelong learning.

The Open Courses initiative, launched in 2017, is facilitated by the HEA and the National Forum in partnership with higher education institutions and organisations across Ireland. It provides flexible, non-accredited professional development aligned to the National Professional Development Framework for all Staff who Teach in Higher Education, supporting a shared and open approach to enhancement across the sector.

Further information on Open Courses is available at opencourses.ie.