The digital transformation of the world is likely to cause dramatic shifts in the world of learning, as is shown spectacularly by the MOOCs phenomenon [5]. It faces universities with the opportunity (and the obligation) to transform themselves thoroughly into institutions with a significantly improved and extended service to society and the ability to adapt flexibly to the rapidly changing needs (learning organizations). The Internet and the multimedia-interactive information technology allow to extend education beyond the (school) hours as well as beyond the (class) walls. The consequences of this simple observation are not yet fully seen. It is not just that universities' own regular full-time students get new “blended” learning schemes offered, but it also means new tools for flexible, part-time and distance learning, and it especially implies that external target groups can be served significantly better, such as future students (study orientation), graduates and professionals (lifelong learning), and last but not least international (global) audiences (virtual mobility).

A case study initiated in 2014 by the Royal Flemish Academy of Belgium for Sciences and Arts and lead by two prominent thinkers from abroad concentrated on the question how traditional universities should deal with blended learning and MOOCs. The key conclusion is: “The optimal exploitation of ICT and the Internet for the new higher education of the 21st century” will not take place spontaneously. A ‘bottom up’ approach, i.e. the support of a multitude of individual initiatives, is necessary to let creative ideas grow, but insufficient to bring about the necessary changes in higher education. This requires powerful and radical ‘top down’ measures, and some concrete recommendations are given in this respect. In addition there is a continuing need for further fundamental research and visionary thinking.