L’Université Numérique federates French Digital Thematic Universities in Humanities & Foreign languages, Management and Economics, Science and Technology, Medicine as well as Sustainable Development. It is the public operator in charge, for the French Ministry of Higher Education, Research and Innovation, of representing French higher education in the global open and distance education community.

Launched in the early 2000s, these thematic universities are focused on OERs and digital transformation in Higher Education Institutions, and are involved in collaborative projects with international partners (universities, virtual universities, ministries for Higher Education, UNESCO, companies).

In collaboration with ICDE (International Council for Open and Distance Education) and UNESCO, L’Université Numérique currently leads an initiative to support the OER Recommendation and its adoption by higher education institutions, ministries and the business world for French-speaking countries in West and Central Africa.