On 25 November 2024, the DIGI-FACE Project Management Group (PMG) met in Cape Town for its annual on-site meeting. Representatives from Nelson Mandela University, University of Applied Sciences Kehl, University of Oldenburg, several African Centres of Excellence, and DAAD gathered to reflect on the year’s achievements and collaboratively plan for the future. DIGI-FACE’s vision is to be a leading provider and enabler of digital adoption in higher education research, teaching and networking. Our mission is to empower and equip future decision-makers with the tools, knowledge, and skills they need to excel in a rapidly evolving world.
Highlights of the meeting included a focus on future scenarios for the DIGI-FACE platform to achieve this vision and mission in a long-term perspective. These sessions explored potential paths for platform development, ensuring its sustainability and long-term value for African Centres of Excellence and its network. Discussions on IT architecture and operational strategies sparked engaging exchanges, emphasising the importance of balancing technical innovation with practical implementation and best usability for the diverse target groups of the science community. After this PMG Meeting, the consortium is committed to providing a dynamic platform and courses that harness the power of digital innovation to deliver cutting-edge research opportunities, transformative teaching methods, and extensive networking experiences for a long-term perspective.
Another key topic was the sustainability of DIGI-FACE’s offerings, with an emphasis on empowering multipliers within partner Centers. The team explored ways to strengthen these roles to support independent module delivery and training activities. Representatives from CERM-ESA and other Centres (via qualitative research interviews) shared valuable insights into how the platform has impacted their Centers, offering a localized perspective on its benefits and challenges.
The following chart highlights that nearly all Centres of Excellence and participating universities except to continue using the DIGI-FACE platform in future.
In collaboration with DAAD representatives, the team dedicated the afternoon to shaping the strategic vision for DIGI-FACE through 2026. The session included discussions on digital services, team roles, and potential business models. This forward-thinking approach reflects the project’s commitment to fostering innovative and sustainable solutions for Open and Distance Education in Higher Education across Africa and the whole world.
The DIGI-FACE PMG meeting was just one part of an exciting week in Cape Town, which also includes the DAAD Network Meeting of the African Excellence and special DIGI-FACE training sessions with knowledge sharing in the decentralised platform management of the Centres of Excellence. To learn more about these events and how they contribute to advancing Open and Distance education in all Centres of Excellence, visit our last and future blogs for the latest updates.
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