Interview with Sandrine Labory about the Open Education

Redesigning higher education is no longer a theoretical exercise; it is becoming a practical necessity. As societies face accelerating green, digital, and social transitions, universities are being called to rethink not only what they teach, but how they teach, who they reach, and how closely they connect to the world beyond academia. Within the COLOURS Alliance, this shift takes shape through an Open Education model that places real-world challenges, cross-border collaboration, and inclusivity at its core.

In this interview, Sandrine Labory explores what this transformation looks like in practice. From challenge-based learning and stakeholder co-creation to new formats like Hands-on Projects (HOPs), she offers insight into how universities can move beyond traditional boundaries, and why doing so is essential to ensure that no learner is left behind.

• The Action Plan talks about moving away from traditional university models toward something more shared and transnational. What does that actually feel like for a student sitting in a lecture, or a professor preparing a course? What changes in practice?

Open Education transforms traditional educational models into a challenge-based approach, where the curriculum is directly linked to real-world challenges. These issues are proposed by stakeholders, such as industries, policymakers, and NGOs, who help define regional needs and contribute to the co-creation of learning activities. For students, lessons go beyond pure theory; they must apply their knowledge to solve concrete problems and propose actionable solutions. Through this process, they learn to work effectively in teams, improve practical competencies like communication, language skills, and time management, and sharpen their problem-solving abilities. For professors, Open Education encourages a deeper connection to local realities. As a result, faculty remain highly informed, allowing them to design lessons and conduct research that directly address local and regional needs. 

• “Leaving no one behind” during the green, digital, and social transitions. In your experience so far, which learners are most at risk of being left out, and how is Open Education specifically addressing that?

We make all education formats we offer, for instance, summer schools, micro-credential courses, double degree programmes, etc., inclusive, in the sense of being designed to allow all students to be able to join the course. For instance, Hands-on projects were invented to allow wider participation of students in international programmes. HOPs involve addressing challenges and working in international teams as part of courses, allowing all students to develop multicultural skills, without physical mobility.

• Companies and NGOs have always been involved in universities, mostly as employers at the end of the process. Why does COLOURS insist they need to be in the room while the curriculum is being designed, not just after?

Stakeholders, including companies, NGOs, and policymakers, are encouraged to collaborate with academia to co-create curricula. This will help universities stay aligned with labor market requirements, ensuring students receive relevant training and obtain the skills and competencies needed to start working as soon as they graduate. In addition, through early exposure to real socio-economic challenges, students gain a deeper understanding of stakeholder needs and develop skills that enable effective dialogue across sectors.

• HOPs are one of the most concrete innovations in this plan. Can you walk us through one that has already produced a real result for a community or region?

The University of Ferrara (UNIFE) implemented a pilot HOP within the Space project in cooperation with the Emilia-Romagna Region. Between March and May 2025, five projects were carried out by 11 students from UNIFE, UPB, and UCLM. Feedback from both students and stakeholders was highly positive. The regional authority acknowledged the relevance and quality of the research outputs and expressed interest in a follow-up phase involving primary research and in-depth interviews. Students reported a strong appreciation of the hands-on learning experience and demonstrated interest in continuing their involvement. We have conducted phase 2 with in-depth interviews with various experts, including the ex-president of the Catalonia region. This real-life experience not only offered a real-life experience to our students, but also enhanced their curriculum.

To support HOP implementation, participating universities developed dedicated coordination and management approaches. For example, a student dashboard was introduced to provide transparency on tasks, mentors, deadlines, and guidelines, facilitating matchmaking and supporting micro-learning through practice.

Further examples include the HOP entitled “The Impact of Climate Change on Plant Biodiversity and Sustainable Food and Animal Feed Production”, implemented through cooperation between UNIOS and UKLO, in collaboration with the Agricultural Institute Osijek as a stakeholder. Six students (four from UKLO and two from UNIOS) participated under the mentorship of three professors, addressing climate-related challenges with implications for biodiversity and food systems.

• Nine countries, nine different academic calendars, nine different regulatory systems. How hard has it been to synchronize all of that, and what has surprised you most about where the friction actually comes from?

It is not easy to create an interuniversity campus between 9 partners that differ in size, culture, regulations, and so on. But all partners acknowledge the benefits of international collaboration, and have learned from each other from the beginning of the project. We have built a learning community at all levels, between university staff and students, able to develop learning programmes that develop appropriate skills for all learners.

Thank you, Sandrine, for sharing these insights into the evolving role of higher education within the COLOURS Alliance. As universities navigate increasingly complex societal challenges, initiatives like Open Education and Hands-on Projects demonstrate how collaboration, inclusivity, and real-world engagement can reshape both learning and meaningful impact.