The development of digital learning models

Through the initiative ‘Development of innovative and modern approaches, methods and forms of work in education’, the Digital UL Centre is addressing the need for a more systematic and coordinated development of innovative teaching practices at the University of Ljubljana. The starting point is that high-quality innovations are already being implemented at the University of Ljubljana, but are often scattered across programmes and modules; therefore, the initiative introduces a common methodological framework that enables the integration of existing practices, their evaluation and their development into transferable digital teaching models across various fields of study.

Purpose of the measure

The measure is designed to establish a systematic approach to identifying, analysing and integrating existing teaching practices at the University of Ljubljana, and to develop these into coordinated digital teaching models that can be applied across various fields of study. In doing so, we are reducing disparities in the adoption of innovative approaches across disciplines, programmes and modules, and providing students with a more responsive, flexible and engaging learning experience, grounded in research and professional practice and responsive to the needs of society and the economy. New technologies (e.g. artificial intelligence, IoT, VR/AR, data analytics) are appropriately integrated into the development of teaching models to create more personalised, practical and problem-based learning experiences.

Basic information about the measure

Measure code: B.I. 3
Activity: A1
Source: RSF
Title of the measure: Development of innovative and modern approaches, methods and forms of work in education that are aligned with the needs of the digital age and prepare students for the challenges of the future by providing practical, flexible and personalised learning experiences
Project leader: Prof. Dr Janez Bešter, University of Ljubljana Digital Centre
Contact person: Sanja Jedrinović Čufer, sanja.jedrinovic@uni-lj.si
Funding for the measure: EUR 1,201,997.92
Duration of the measure: 2025–2028

Planned activities

The following activities are being carried out as part of the measure:

the development and pilot implementation of teaching models in collaboration with educators in various fields of study (150 development projects by the end of the measure’s implementation),
methodological, didactic and technological support for educators in the planning and implementation of projects (at least 150 support services by the end of the measure’s implementation),
evaluation of the impact of the introduced teaching models on learning and teaching (at least 15 digital teaching models evaluated by the end of the measure’s implementation),
bringing together lecturers in a development community that facilitates the exchange of experiences and good practices,
documentation and dissemination of the approaches developed within the University of Ljubljana.

What are the expected outcomes of the measure?

As part of this measure, the following will be achieved:

digital learning models will be developed and pilot-tested,
systematic evaluations of the impact on teaching and learning will be carried out,
the pedagogical and digital competences of teachers will be strengthened,
a community of teachers will be established to share knowledge and experience,
and a collection of documented examples of good practice will be compiled.

Collaboration with member organisations through internal calls for applications

Academic staff are involved in the initiative through internal calls for applications open to members of the University of Ljubljana, which enable participation in two complementary activities, as outlined below.

Activity 1: A community of multipliers for the development of innovative and modern digital learning models

Purpose and scope of the activities:

Together with a community of multipliers, we are establishing development and networking activities for educators who wish to:

enhance existing teaching practices towards innovative digital learning models,
test and implement modern pedagogical approaches supported by artificial intelligence, the Internet of Things (IoT), VR/AR technologies and data analytics,
contribute to the creation of a more flexible, responsive and personalised learning environment,
support colleagues at their own institution in the development and implementation of similar approaches.

A particular focus of the activities is on the development of teaching models that stem from research, professional or artistic work and respond to the needs of students, the profession and wider society.

Role and tasks of multipliers:

Selected lecturers will:

participate in initial and content-related coordination with the University of Ljubljana Digital Centre,
learn about and apply the methodology for designing innovative teaching models,
design and implement a pilot development project in their subject area during the 2025/2026 summer term or the 2026/2027 winter term,
evaluate the impact of the implemented learning model with students,
take part in the ‘Teachers for Teachers’ professional consultation,
provide professional and pedagogical support in the use of ICT to colleagues at their respective faculties.

Scope and selection of participants:

Year 2026: 30 multipliers and the implementation of 30 pilot development projects
Year 2027: 30 multipliers
Year 2028: 30 multipliers

In the selection process, we will take into account:

balanced representation of member institutions in relation to their size,
the innovativeness and development potential of the proposed idea,
the candidate’s previous experience in the didactic use of ICT and in development work in the field of ICT-supported education.

Application procedure:

An internal call for applications for UL member institutions will be sent to the addresses of the RSF coordinators at the member institutions in February 2026.

Frequently asked questions relating to the implementation of Activity 1

The funds allocated under this measure are intended to cover the following eligible costs:

Labour costs (e.g. regular working hours, overtime, contracts)
Travel costs (travel authorisation)
Costs of external services (e.g. student work, copyright/contract for services, purchase order, cooperation agreement, material costs, etc.)

Eligible costs under the measure also include costs for equipment (e.g. teaching materials and aids, licences, hardware and software, fitting out of premises, etc.), but the funds allocated to the member organisation are not intended for this type of cost, and we will coordinate these separately with the participants in the measure.

Ineligible costs include capital expenditure (demolition, painting, etc.).

To begin with, we will include 30 participants in the community of multipliers. Should there be more applications than this, our primary selection criterion will be to ensure the involvement of as many member organisations as possible. Based on our experience to date, we expect that at least half of the member organisations will decide to participate initially, so we suggest that you submit up to two proposals. Should there be more applications, we will include the additional proposals in our second activity (pilot course updates) under this measure, which we will launch at the start of the new academic year.

This year, you can also apply to join the community of multipliers if you plan to update your course during the winter semester of 2026/2027. The period leading up to the start of the semester in which you will be updating your course will be devoted to jointly developing a method for lesson planning using innovative approaches and technologies, preparing for the course update, and providing support for the use of these technologies at your institution.

The measure envisages the participation of higher education lecturers and staff who are involved in the teaching process, who are enthusiastic about the pedagogical use of ICT, and who actively incorporate new technologies into their teaching with the aim of transforming and redefine their own teaching with the aim of fostering the development of higher-order thinking processes and 21st-century skills in students. Their field of expertise does not necessarily need to be related to pedagogy and/or computing.

Below, we outline the key tasks and the timeline of activities within the multiplier community.

Application by a multiplier to join the multiplier community via the online form (by 27 February 2026).
Receipt of the decision on the multiplier’s participation and the funds allocated to the member (by 6 March 2026).
Participation by the multiplier in the introductory meeting with the team from the Digital UL Centre (online, mid/late March 2026).
Participation by the multiplier in a workshop where the methodology for planning innovative teaching models will be presented and tested (in person, April 2026).
Design and implementation of a pilot development project in their subject area during the 2025/2026 summer semester or the 2026/2027 winter semester.
Conducting an impact evaluation of the implemented model with students and submission of an implementation report (December 2026).
Active participation in the ‘Teachers for Teachers’ professional conference with a 15-minute presentation (in person or remotely, December 2026).
Providing professional and pedagogical support to colleagues at the participating institution during the winter semester of 2026/2027 (throughout the 2026 calendar year).
Receiving the allocated funds under the measure for the participating institution.

Activity 2: Development projects for the introduction of digital learning models into study programmes

Purpose and scope of the activities:

Development projects are intended for teaching staff who wish to pilot and test a digital teaching model within a specific course or module, with professional support from the University of Ljubljana Digital Centre. The activity focuses on the practical implementation of changes to the teaching process and their systematic evaluation.

The role and tasks of lecturers carrying out development projects:

As part of the selected development projects, lecturers will:

participate in initial and content-related coordination with the Digital UL Centre,
familiarise themselves with and apply the methodology for planning innovative teaching models,
design and implement a pilot development project in their subject area,
evaluate the impact of the introduced teaching model with students,
participate in the ‘Teachers for Teachers’ professional consultation.

Scope and selection of development projects:

Year 2026: 30 development projects launched (winter semester 26/27)
Year 2027: 60 development projects launched (summer semester 26/27 and winter semester 27/28)
Year 2028: 30 development projects launched (summer semester 27/28)

The selection process will take into account:

balanced representation of member institutions based on their size,
the innovativeness and development potential of the proposed ideas,
the feasibility of the project within the envisaged timeframe.

Application procedure:

The internal call for proposals for UL member institutions will be sent to the RSF coordinators at the member institutions for participation in the academic year 26/27 in May 2026.

The internal call for applications for UL member institutions will be sent to the RSF coordinators at the member institutions for participation in the 27/28 academic year in March 2027.

Center for the use of ICT in pedagogical process (Digital University Center)

Univerza v Ljubljani
Kongresni trg 12
1000 Ljubljana