The West University of Timișoara (UVT) proudly announced the launch of the SAMExperience digital learning platform, which entered its official testing phase during the summer of 2025. Built using the open-source Moodle framework, this platform marked a major technological milestone in the Erasmus+ co-financed SAMExperience project – designed to equip learners across Europe with the skills and mindset of future Strategic Alliance Managers (SAMs).
Developed by UVT in close collaboration with project partners, the platform – accessible at https://elearning.samexperience.eu – underwent its prototype testing period with real learners from five participating countries.
The launch aligned with the introduction of the first training module, FOCUS, led by Mondragon Unibertsitatea (MUE). This module served as the first test case for the platform, setting the stage for the upcoming development of a full suite of learning experiences within the SAMExperience curriculum.
Key Features of the eLearning Platform included:
- Leveraging a widely adopted open-source system for flexible, customizable, and multilingual deployment
- Focusing on interactivity, feedback loops, and digital learning paths
- Hosting thematic modules covering core SAM competencies such as systems thinking, strategic vision, and circular project management
- Integrating quizzes, reflective forums, and capstone tasks to evaluate usability and pedagogical effectiveness
As the technical lead for platform development under Work Package 3, UVT was responsible for:
- Translating raw pedagogical content into digital learning modules
- Designing the user interface and experience to reflect personalized learning paths
- Enabling content navigation, tracking, and assessment within an open, scalable infrastructure
- Coordinating real-user testing to gather feedback for the platform’s improvement ahead of full implementation in WP4
Dr. Sebastian-Aurelian Ștefănigă from UVT highlighted, “The platform we’ve developed is more than a digital space – it’s a collaborative learning ecosystem tailored to prepare students for systemic challenges and strategic decision-making. The testing phase was crucial for refining this tool and ensuring its alignment with SAMExperience’s vision.”
More than 25 students from 5 countries explored the FOCUS module through the platform, engaging with strategic content, quizzes, discussions, and a final reflective challenge based on a real-world scenario. Their experience informed the iterative development of the platform, ensuring its responsiveness to learner needs and contextual relevance across cultural and educational environments.
Following the test phase, UVT and its partners analyzed learner feedback to enhance platform usability, improve accessibility features, and scale the infrastructure for the upcoming deployment of additional modules.
The full digital platform, along with the complete set of learning materials, was scheduled for official rollout in Work Package 4 (WP4), supporting pilot testing in all partner institutions.
SAMExperience is an Erasmus+ Strategic Partnership that aimed to develop the role of the Sustainable Alliance Manager (SAM) – a new professional profile trained in collaborative innovation, green transition, and circular economy principles. The project is co-led by a consortium of universities and institutions across Europe, including UVT, MUE, LBUAS, UEKat, and UniFg.
Article written by the West University of Timișoara team (Romania)