In 1996, the Virtual University (VU) started as an online learning project at the University of Hagen (Germany) with a few courses and a small number of users. Today the VU has grown into a large learning platform with a student community of more than 10,000 and more than 200 learning events online. This paper describes some of the experiences related to the development and use of the VU and outlines the effects on all areas of the university. Not only has the learning environment and process of students changed dramatically, but faculty, administrative staff, and technical support personnel have experienced fundamental challenges and reorganization. The VU is leading toward a major quality improvement in open and distance education. The impacts of the VU are described in the following areas: (1) impact on learning, including communication and interaction, tutoring and student support, topicality, applicability, and innovation; (2) impact on teaching, including communication and interaction, tutoring and support, topicality, applicability, and innovation; and (3) impact on management, including the computer center, printing and shipping department, and study center. (Contains 23 references.) (MES)