Since 2004, Freie Universität has been using Blackboard, a central learning management system (LMS) with numerous functionalities and a wide range of applications. The requirements for the LMS have changed significantly in the course of the increasing digitization of university teaching and ongoing technological developments. 

The FutureLMS project analyzed current and future requirements for the LMS and evaluated technical solutions. Various stakeholders were involved in the process; user requirements were gathered through group and individual interviews as well as a university-wide survey. Based on the results of a university-wide evaluation, the Executive Board decided in March 2025 to follow the recommendation of the Service Portfolio Board and switch central learning platforms from Blackboard to Moodle, an open-source platform. The transition to the new LMS is scheduled for the 2026/2027 winter semester.

Moodle is a state-of-the-art, flexible, and powerful learning platform. 

Advantages of Moodle:

• A wide range of tools for collaboration and interaction
• Open source and hosted at Freie Universität
• Active, global community
• Proven use at many universities (e.g., in the Berlin University Alliance, in Germany, and worldwide)