The Faculty of Education and Lifelong Learning (FoELL) have recently developed a suite of blended postgraduate programmes for educators across Ireland. This includes a Masters in Education, a Masters in Management and Education and a Professional Education Doctorate (Ed.D). As leads of the postgraduate programmes, we recognise there is a need to continue to build on and enhance the overall calibre of each of these programmes, increase student recruitment, widen access through Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL), and ensure sustainability by providing high-quality online learning environments and a suite of micro-credentials. This proposal seeks SATLE Fellowship funding to support an academic exchange with SUNY Empire State College, focusing on digital transition for flexible, high-quality education at SETU. We seek consultation with Professor Meg Benke of Empire State University, who brings 25 years of online learning leadership and a long-standing relationship with SETU’s Faculty of Education as a former Fulbright scholar. As coordinator of MA programmes in Adult Education and Educational Technology and contributor to the EdD programme at SUNY, the expertise of Prof. Benke (and her team) would enhance best practices within SETU’s FoELL. Our aim is to drive SETU’s vision for global engagement and connectedness that supports significant growth in the region through advancing digital engagement of the FoELL, while also addressing key targets of the SETU Connecting for Impact Strategic plan, including the establishment of a sustainable Professional Doctorate programme and suite of micro-credential offerings. The project aligns the theme of digital transition through the following actions: •SUNY Empire is a leader in online education. This exchange will explore best practices in digital pedagogy, including innovative teaching methods and student engagement strategies. •SUNY Empire successfully attracts non-traditional students through accessible, flexible learning models. Understanding their recruitment and retention strategies will inform SETU’s approach to RPL, lifelong learning and online education offerings. •We will explore how our formal programmes could offer greater flexible access through RPL for non-traditional learners. •We aim to establish international peer networks through a Community of Practice for our Ed.D that will strengthen the SETU professional doctoral programme development and enhance SETU’s capacity for global teaching and research collaboration. •We endeavour to enhance our supervisory teams through interdisciplinary and transatlantic partnerships, that will enable the design of a sustainable Ed.D, diversifying the expertise on offer at SETU. Expected Impact: •Enhanced digital learning strategies for M.Ed, MAME, micro-credentials and Ed.D. •Improved access and inclusivity through best-practice recruitment models, with emphasis on RPL. •Establish sustainable academic partnerships fostering long-term collaboration for research and research supervision.