Meet Elena Atanasiu, Ph.D. who joined the Center for Innovative Education at Gdańsk University of Technology in November 2024 as an English-speaking instructional design expert. Her employment was made possible thanks to funding from the European Union under the project "Support for European Universities Alliances" (call no. FERS.01.05-IP.08-0219/23 – 2024 intake), titled “Strengthening the Potential of Gdańsk University of Technology in the ENHANCE Alliance” (project no. BPI/WUE/2024/1/00020).
Elena Atanasiu, who holds a Ph.D. in the Humanities from the University of California, Davis, is an experienced educator who specializes in distance learning development, educational technologies, and the integration of artificial intelligence in teaching and learning. She has over 15 years of experience designing and implementing innovative educational programs in Poland and the United States.
She began her work in higher education in 2010 at the University of Nevada, Reno, and later collaborated with the University of California, Davis. From 2017 to 2023, she was affiliated with Truckee Meadows Community College (TMCC). Between 2022 and 2024, she served as Director of the Department of Distance Learning Development at the University of Lower Silesia in Wrocław. She is currently based at the Center for Innovative Education at Gdańsk University of Technology.
Elena designs personalized and holistic training programs that foster learner engagement and effectiveness, with a particular focus on artificial intelligence, emerging technologies, digital accessibility, and inclusive teaching practices. Her international background and ability to work in culturally diverse academic environments support the implementation of modern, learner-centered pedagogical approaches.
She holds multiple certifications in Universal Design for Learning (UDL), instructional design, HyFlex course development, and the use of AI-powered solutions in education. She regularly delivers training on the methodology of teaching, AI pedagogy, EdTech applications, and microlearning—enriching her instructional methods and enabling meaningful learner engagement.
PROJECT TASKS: "Strengthening the Potential of Gdańsk University of Technology in the ENHANCE Alliance"
Task 6 – Development of online courses for the Certificate in Higher Education Teaching (CHET) programme
This initiative, developed within the ENHANCE Alliance framework, aims to boost teaching competencies among faculty members from partner universities by offering engaging and modern online courses. As part of the team at the Center for Innovative Education, Elena contributes to the design of active learning environments and the implementation of innovative teaching tools that foster the development of digital and pedagogical skills. This task will lead to the implementation of CHET into the Alliance’s educational offer, ensuring flexible access to high-quality teacher training.
Task 7 – Certificate International for Employees (CIE): a microcredential supporting international workplace competencies
The CIE programme aims to enhance the skills of university staff for effective work in international and multicultural environments. It will be developed into a microcredential available to all ENHANCE Alliance members. The implementation includes content adaptation, the development of a methodologically advanced training system, and cooperation with IT staff to deploy the programme online. This task will equip participants with modern tools to strengthen international work competencies, supporting the goals of educational internationalization and quality enhancement.
The project is financed by the European Union under the "Support for European Universities Alliances" programme (call no. FERS.01.05-IP.08-0219/23 – 2024 intake), titled “Strengthening the Potential of Gdańsk University of Technology in the ENHANCE Alliance” (project no. BPI/WUE/2024/1/00020).