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The specific objectives of the Congress are to:
- Showcase the world’s best practices in OER policies, initiatives, and experts
- Release a 2012 Paris OER Declaration calling on governments to support the development and use of OER
- Celebrate the 10th anniversary of the 2002 UNESCO Forum that created the term OER
As part of an extensive global consultation process, the Congress will be preceded by six regional Policy Forums for ministers and officials in the Caribbean, Latin America, Europe, Africa, Asia and the Arab States.
The role of ICDE
ICDE has been invited by UNESCO to cooperate in the framework of the Congress. The ICDE Executive Committee has accepted the invitation, and a partnership for the 2012 World OER Congress is established. In its first stages, ICDE has consulted with regional associations and organizations within open and distance learning to secure their input to the process.
It is proposed that ICDE and regional associations will:
- create awareness and promote the Congress to their members, partners and contacts
- identify and engage with members to secure active participation in the Congress
- identify good practices in OER and provide input to the Congress
ICDE also sees follow up of the World OER Congress as an important issue for consideration.
Search for Francophone African OER Experts and Government representatives
UNESCO and the Commonwealth of Learning are organizing an Africa OER Policy Forum in Pretoria, South Africa from 21 -22 February
in the lead up to the World OER Congress.
Help is sought in identifying a good number of Francophone OER experts/ practitioners as well as Francophone government representatives
that have developed drafts or actually enacted policies, or have shown great commitment to enacting OER policies.
Through the generous support of the Hewlett Foundation (USA), the Commonwealth of Learning may be able to provide funding
for selected Francophone experts/ government representatives to attend the Forum.
For further information, please contact Abel Caine, Programme Specialist for Open Educational Resources at UNESCO.
UNESCO OER World Congress flyer COL blog on World OER Congress
10 February 2012