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

22 may 2025

As Domuni Universitas enters its 27th year of existence, a major milestone is being marked with the release of a new work. On May 24th, Brother Michel Van Aerde OP, co-founder and first rector, publishes Domuni, A Collective Adventure (1998–2023). This book recounts a quarter-century of intellectual and spiritual commitment through an unprecedented academic format, designed to be accessible to all, across the globe. It is both a personal testimony and an institutional narrative, revisiting the foundational years of a bold project.

A Birth at the Crossroads of Tradition and Innovation

Founded in Toulouse in 1998 at the initiative of Dominicans committed to investing in the digital field for theological education, Domuni-Universitas was one of the first institutions to offer a 100% online model, predominantly asynchronous and centered on the written word. At the time, the endeavor was daring: without physical premises, students, or funding, the first teachers developed written courses uploaded to rudimentary platforms, with the objective of making education accessible to all.

This choice of online pedagogy was not driven by technology per se, but by a desire to reach those distanced from traditional universities for geographical, economic, social, political, or personal reasons. As Brother Michel Van Aerde emphasizes, this orientation has never wavered:

We have always sought to combine academic rigor with universal accessibility.

A Dominican Institution, Open to the World

Domuni is a work founded by the Order of Preachers, part of the long Dominican intellectual tradition, rooted in a love for study, service to the Word, and the pursuit of truth. Today, Domuni-Universitas is structured around three faculties: Theology, Philosophy, and Human and Social Sciences. Each year, it welcomes hundreds of students from over 110 countries, offering instruction in French, English, Spanish, Italian, and Arabic.

Brother Michel Van Aerde’s book does more than trace the institutional development of Domuni. It conveys a spirit: that of a university community grounded in trust, flexibility, and freedom. The author recounts the uncertain beginnings, decisive choices, obstacles and resistances, as well as formative encounters and foundational insights. Far from triumphalist, the tone is lucid and deeply engaged, revealing the inner workings of a collective project built on strong conviction.

A Theological Meditation on Teaching

At the heart of the book lies a meditation on teaching itself. Domuni is not merely an innovative structure; it is a space for reflection on the meaning of transmission. The author explores the nature of the student-teacher relationship in the digital age, particularly through the choice of asynchronous learning, which allows each person to study at their own pace, wherever they are in the world. This mode of teaching demands autonomy and promotes critical reading, personal writing, and inner development.

In this context, the teacher's role is transformed. No longer centered on a face-to-face model, it becomes a matter of deep accompaniment, offering solid reference points and encouraging intellectual growth without imposing a rigid framework. This approach requires a discreet, available, and benevolent presence—reminiscent of the Resurrected Christ on the road to Emmaus, whom Van Aerde evokes:

In the silence of the digital realm lies a Paschal pedagogy: the Risen One appears only to vanish, leaving the other free to interpret and to believe.

This vision of teaching carries a nearly prophetic weight today. It stands as a counter-model to authoritarian or manipulative pedagogies. Whereas some approaches seek to form by constraint or to "frame" the student, Domuni chooses to awaken, to dialogue, to foster growth in freedom. This positioning asserts that knowledge is transmitted not through coercion, but through the hospitality of intelligence and the recognition of the other as subject.

Thus, digital technology is not merely a tool but a new space for relationship. It enables a form of education defined by respect, flexibility, and radical trust in the student’s capacity to shape their own intellectual journey.

A Collegial and Evolving Governance

The book also traces the institutional development of Domuni. From a fraternal collective, Domuni-Universitas has become a recognized, accredited structure, with a Rectorate, Academic Senate, organized faculties, a research institute (Domuni Research Institute), and an editorial board overseeing several scholarly journals and its publishing house.

Brother Michel Van Aerde revisits each step of this evolution, highlighting both its vulnerabilities and strengths. A consistent thread throughout is the determination to open up responsibilities, encourage initiatives, and promote collegial governance. The handover to a new generation of leadership in 2023 is portrayed as a natural and fruitful step, remaining faithful to the original vision.

A Sober and Fraternal Style

The tone of the book is simple, clear, and contemplative. It is neither an autobiography nor a personal retrospective. The author stays in the background, much like in his pedagogy, making space for others—for the community and the collective work. Each chapter is short, focused on a core idea. The whole text is imbued with joyful gratitude and deep faith.

This unique style makes Domuni, A Collective Adventure a book accessible to all. It can be read as a spiritual testimony, an essay on higher education, a story of innovation, or a historical document. It will interest students, teachers, researchers, and also institutional leaders facing the challenges of digital transformation and internationalization.

An Invitation to Join the Adventure

One of the book’s strengths is its invitation to reflect on the nature of the university today, through the lens of a singular journey: that of entirely remote education, offered in five languages—French, English, Italian, Spanish, and Arabic—and driven by a transnational and innovative vision.

By recounting the origins and growth of Domuni, the author extends an invitation to all to join the adventure. “Your place is ready,” he writes in conclusion. Whether as a student, teacher, researcher, or reader, everyone can find in Domuni a space for engagement and personal growth. Now present in over 110 countries, Domuni-Universitas teaches in five languages, conducts transcultural and transdisciplinary research, and welcomes students from all walks of life, in the spirit of Veritatis Gaudium.

In a world that struggles to think together, Domuni embraces catholicity, universality, and hospitality. It seeks to make room for the other—their language, their history, their quest. The passing of the torch in 2023 to a new generation of leaders testifies to an institution that continues to grow—quietly—in service of the contemporary world.

In this work, the author shares the foundational insights that inspired him, the glimpses of truth encountered along the way, and a deeply personal theological meditation, interwoven throughout a human, spiritual, and international adventure, characterized by boldness and renewal.

→ Order the book Domuni, A Collective Adventure (1998–2023)
→ Read the author's interview