The European Distance and E-Learning Network, abbreviated EDEN and originally named the European Distance Education Network - established in 1991, is an international educational association open to institutions and individuals dealing with e-learning, open education, and distance education. EDEN is a not-for-profit organisation, registered as a limited company under English law.

EDEN organises annual European conferences, releases academic publications, offers information services and plays a useful role in a wide range of European projects. Bi-annual research workshops and the open classroom conferences increase the impact. Since 1995 EDEN has run the European Journal of Open, Distance and E-Learning (EURODL).

Since 1997 the secretariat of the association has been hosted by the Budapest University of Technology and Economics, Hungary.

Activities

social online and face-to-face networking,

organisation of European annual and bi-annual thematic conferences,

publications and information services with regular Newsflashes to members, and irregular news to non-members,

active role in a wide range of important EU projects,

thematic hubs such as the Open Classroom Working Group (school level distance education),

promoting ‘cutting edge’ research in the field,

linking European initiatives and institutions with international peers in other continents.

Network of Academics and Professionals

The EDEN Network of Academics and Professionals (NAP) supports networking of individual members by providing meeting and communication forum. NAP has a functional autonomy and is co-ordinated by its own Steering Committee elected by a ballot of NAP members, its Chair is ex officio member of the EDEN Board.

 

In 2018 the Council of EDEN Fellows has been established which includes all Fellows and Senior Fellows of EDEN – it has an advisory role in the EDEN Community, a think tank for future visioning, and as ambassador of EDEN. It is governed by the Board of the Council.

The association supports good quality research into open, distance and e-learning by means of its conferences and bi-annual research workshops as well as by providing a high-quality peer-reviewed online journal for publication of research results and best practices from all around the world. Publications related to the conferences and workshops are disseminated via the association's public webpage and its social online network.

EDEN has actively been supporting the online European Journal of Open and Distance Learning. EURODL publishes accounts of research, development and teaching for Europe, presents scholarly work and solid information about open, distance and e-learning. The journal is free to readers and contributes to the Open Content movement with over 4000 subscribers.

EDEN's mission includes the exchange of academic and professional experience, to promote effective navigation in the field, and improve quality of information. EDEN conferences are major academic and professional events in Europe, supporting international exchange of expertise, are gatherings where comprehensive contributions are presented by outstanding experts, are based on collecting best practice – papers presented and selected with publication in the ‘proceedings’, as resources, have a genuine community feel to them, where working relationships strengthen and deepen, where new partnerships are formed.

To cater for different needs, EDEN organises Annual Conferences and thematic workshops.