[Interview] Domuni, A Collective Adventure (1998–2023)

22 may 2025

Twenty-five years of commitment, patience, and faith. Brother Michel Van Aerde, a Dominican friar from the Province of Toulouse, co-founder and first rector of Domuni Universitas, has experienced this educational journey from within—from the earliest beginnings to the emergence of an online university now present in more than 100 countries. Today, having passed the baton to a new generation of leaders, he takes the time to reflect on this path.

Domuni, A Collective Adventure (1998–2023), published on May 24, 2025, is more than just a collection of memories. It is a multi-voice narrative, woven with founding moments, shared convictions, and deeply meditated questions. As a co-founder of this online Dominican university, Michel Van Aerde recounts a story that is both collective and deeply spiritual—a narrative in which faith and intellectual pursuit move forward together, step by step.

Why publish this book now?

Michel Van Aerde: The time was right. A new chapter is opening for Domuni Universitas. I felt it was important to take some distance and reflect on the path we've travelled. This book is both a testimony and a theological reflection. I wanted to highlight what has been essential beyond the facts: the initial intuitions, the discoveries, the unexpected surprises. I also wanted to offer a spiritual interpretation of what has been lived. Because Domuni is not just an academic institution, but a shared spiritual and intellectual experience. That is what I aimed to express.

You refer to a collective adventure. What do you mean?

Michel Van Aerde: Nothing was achieved alone. Everything is based on collaborative work: between teachers, technicians, administrators, and students. We started with nothing—no funds, no physical space, no digital platform. What we had was an opportunity with the Internet, a missionary urgency, and deep trust. It has been a community-based educational project.

What makes Domuni stand out in the academic world?

Michel Van Aerde: What sets Domuni Universitas apart is that everything was reimagined from the standpoint of purpose, not technology. We started with a core question: How can we help students structure their thinking, acquire essential knowledge, and find their place in the world? Domuni is not simply a distance learning university. It is an intellectual and spiritual project.

From the beginning, our goal was to make higher education accessible to as many people as possible: to those excluded due to geographical isolation, financial constraints, or inflexible schedules that make traditional studies impossible. To those who felt excluded from rigid academic systems. Domuni Universitas is a way of saying: Wherever you are, you belong in the intellectual community.

Is there a “Domuni theology”?

Michel Van Aerde: Yes—implicit but genuine. The organizational structure, pedagogical choices, transcultural approach, interdisciplinary methodology, and even our temporal flexibility all reveal a unique spiritual vision. For example, online education creates a kind of Paschal space where the student becomes the protagonist. Domuni reflects a theology of freedom, in which God withdraws to let human autonomy flourish.

What role does the Order of Preachers play in this?

Michel Van Aerde: A central one. Domuni is the embodiment of our mission as Dominicans: to study, to transmit knowledge, and to build connections. Being present at the margins of society has always been our vocation. Twenty-five years ago, that meant being present online; today, it means being active on this new digital continent.

And now?

Michel Van Aerde: I have stepped back. A new generation is taking over with vigor and vision. The direction is clear: preserve the boldness of the beginnings, expand our international academic network, and integrate artificial intelligence as a tool for collective intelligence and innovative learning.

--> Discover the book Domuni, A Collective Adventure (1998–2023) on the publisher’s website
--> Read the official presentation of the book by the publishing house