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Up2U remote learning platform expands access to

all schools and universities across Europe

Trusted platform enables continued learning during COVID-19 pandemic

25 March 2020

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The EU-funded Up2U (Up2University) project has today announced that openUp2U, a version of its trusted, remote learning platform will be available to all schools and universities across Europe, in an effort to support continued learning during the COVID-19 pandemic.


openUp2U has been developed and offered in direct response to COVID-19, with the support of Up2U project partners including GÉANT, NORDUnet, CERN, ownCloud, PSNC, KIFU, NTUA, GRNET, GARR, The Open University and MIUN. 


The Up2U platform is a Next Generation Digital Learning Environment (NGDLE) that is modular, interoperable, highly customisable and portable. Based on open source technology developed by European not-for-profit organisations and research institutions such as CERN, it offers services such as course management, video-conferencing and file sharing integrated into a learning management system so that teachers and students can collaborate in real-time, supporting remote learning and educational support. 


These services include: 

  • Moodle - a course management system based on a free open source software package designed to help educators create effective online courses. 
  • eduMEET - an open source web-based video-conferencing platform developed in the GÉANT (GN4-3) Project, that provides a self-hosted, secure and trustworthy environment for distance learning. eduMEET is currently in Beta stage. 

  • SWAN - a turn-key platform to produce digital notebooks to be created in a simple web interface - with text, code, pictures and video - that can be stored in CERNBox. 

  • CERNBox powered by EOS and ownCloud - the Sync and Share storage solution for Science, that allows students and teachers to work and collaborate anytime and anywhere from their mobile devices. 


Erik Huizer, CEO of coordinating partner GÉANT adds, “The Up2U project, established in 2017, works with National Research and Education Networks, universities, secondary schools, research institutes and SMEs, as well as the wider education community to provide a trusted platform where teachers and students collaborate on learning. At a time when universities and schools are being temporarily closed, we are making this platform available at pace that is much faster than we would apply under normal circumstances, to facilitate remote learning so that students are not disadvantaged at an important time in their education.” 


Schools and universities interested in using this service should indicate their interest to the Up2U team: contact@lists.up2university.eu. For more information visit https://up2university.eu/open/. 


About Up2U

Up2U is a 41-month collaborative project with €5M funding from the European Union (EU) that started in January 2017. The key objective of the project is to bridge the gap between secondary schools and higher education & research by enhancing the digital skills of students. The project is coordinated by GÉANT and gathers 18 partners from 12 countries across Europe including NRENs, traditional and open universities, infrastructure providers and two commercial partners. 

For more information, see https://up2university.eu/overview/ 


eu_flag.jpgUp2U received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under Grant Agreement No. 732049 - Up2U 

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