The main purpose of the study trip was to present different models for large-scale implementation of blended learning to directors of studies from different departments at Aarhus BSS. Thus the study trip would prepare them for the task of ad-vising senior management on blended learning/educational IT in education. The purpose of the study trip was in line with the significant investments in educational IT at Aarhus BSS since 2012/2013:

1. the implementation of the new and university-wide LMS (Blackboard)
2. the systematic training of faculty at Aarhus BSS in the field of educational IT and blended learning

The Aarhus BSS delegation consisted of 9 departmental representatives, 7 of which were directors of studies representing all 7 departments whereas 1 representative came from the Dean’s Office and further 6 from the Centre for Teaching and Learning.

In order to present relevant decision-makers at Aarhus BSS with various strategies for large-scale implementation of blended learning in Higher Education, four universities in Northern America with significant experience with blended learning, and evidence of impact, were identified:

• University of Ottawa (Canada),
• Purdue University (US),
• University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee (US), and
• University of Central Florida (US).

All four universities describe blended and online courses as strategic aims. They all offer courses and programmes in both traditional format, blended format and fully online. All universities focus on relating teaching development, no matter the teaching format, to student centered teaching and culture. Each university has a specific target group that they specifically seek to address by offering blended and online learning.

In total, the delegation met with more than 50 representatives (representing a mix of top and senior management, facul-ty members, teaching/learning consultants and support staff) during the four visits and was exposed to a wide range of presentations and meetings with the purpose of sharing good practice and exchange of experiences.

Study Trip Findings

The visits provided valuable insight into large-scale developments of blended and online learning. The main strategic recommendations given by all four institutions regardless of their educational purpose of blended learning, were to:

• secure involvement and attention from senior management and close collaboration with departments in identifying the need for improvement at programme level, course level or competence level by use of educational IT;
• allocate means of incentives in the initial development phase of blended and online courses;
• ensure evidence of impact of blended and online learning in a local context in order to inform senior management and faculty members.

To further the investment in educational IT at Aarhus BSS, the delegation recommends the faculty management team of Aarhus BSS to establish a task force whose mandate will be to deliver recommendations for the further decision making process and implementation process. The delegation offers to act as a task force on a mandate from the faculty management team to propose a set of recommendations regarding ambitions, strategic aims, involvement of departments and identifying organisational and institutional gaps and challenges.