This paper introduces the SOULSS Project, an innovative initiative aimed at catalysing the digital transformation in higher education. The project, a collaborative endeavour by seven partners across six countries, is underpinned by Universal Learning Design (UDL) principles to foster inclusive instruction. It encompasses the development of a comprehensive training course kit for teachers and an e-learning platform hosting educational materials on UDL. A series of scientific publications substantiate the project’s outcomes. Funded by the European Union, the SOULSS Project addresses the challenges of digital transformation in higher education and advocates for equal access to education for under-served student groups. This paper describes the results of the tasks that contributed to the construction of the knowledge base upon which the modules are being developed, namely, a literature review, a research survey, and a collection of best practices. The literature review followed the PRISMA guidelines for scoping reviews. It analysed 20 research papers published in peer reviewed journals, focusing on understanding the perspectives and practices/experiences of higher education professors and students concerning the use of universal design for learning in online or hybrid classes, collecting good practices, and identifying barriers and facilitators to its implementation. The results of the scoping review highlight the transformative potential of UDL in enhancing inclusivity and engagement in online and hybrid learning environments, identifying several aspects that may contribute to the sustainable implementation of pedagogical initiatives in those formats. The research survey aimed to understand the current scenario regarding education modalities (in presence, remote synchronous and remote asynchronous), the modification imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic emergency, and the social perception and feelings. A survey was developed and implemented in the partner countries, collecting answers from 727 participants, including 343 students and 384 teaching staff. The analysis of the answers highlights several aspects that should be considered in implementing pedagogical initiatives in hybrid or online education, informing the design and construction of the training modules of the SOULSS project. Finally, good practices were collected in the partner institutions to determine the existing knowledge and expertise to scaffold new training and teaching processes. It will be our goal, in this presentation, to explain how the results from the three tasks were integrated into a set of recommendations that are guiding the development of three training modules: Innovative Technology in Higher Education; Innovative Approaches in Higher Education, and Universal Design for Learning in higher education.