In an ever-changing society, it is of utmost importance that education offers methods and tools that foster a more dynamic and participatory teaching and learning experience, tailored to the needs of today's students. Consequently, the pursuit and implementation of active learning and distance learning approaches have become imperative in higher education. This study presents effective practices devised at a Higher Education Institution in Portugal, aimed at promoting pedagogical innovation among faculty members and enhancing distance learning. The work highlights various activities that support digital empowerment, as well as strategic research and development initiatives, which can serve as valuable guidelines for other higher education institutions. Furthermore, drawing upon three years of collected data, the impact of these activities on the faculty, the institution, and the community was evaluated. Overall, the results demonstrate that the multi-pronged approach has had a positive influence on teaching practices and has positively affected the organizational dynamics. It underscores the critical nature of continuous investment in specialized training and research and development endeavours.