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The pressure of globalization requires modern education systems to provide learners with necessary knowledge and skills to succeed in the current job market. In this respect, creativity, innovation, and competitiveness are the prerequisites. Moreover, EU countries are confronted with the problems of ageing, immigration, skills deficit among professionals, and international competition. All these challenges can be addressed more easily with the help of new ICT and e-learning. This paper examines the role of collaborative learning within the blended learning framework in promoting innovative European Studies (ES) pedagogical practices via cross-institutional exchange. It illustrates how innovative courses contribute to curricular reforms and inter-university cooperation through the case study of a blended learning course involving lecturers and students from Maastricht University (UM) in the Netherlands and Bilkent University in Turkey. The work reports the advantages and limitations of blended learning in fostering collaborative learning among international groups of academics and learners. © Springer International Publishing Switzerland 2015.