Open educational resources
Open educational resources can be used in a variety of learning contexts, ranging from adult education and voluntary initiatives to professional development. In formal education, they are applied in preschool, primary, and secondary education, but they are particularly significant in higher education.
Knowledge without borders
Open educational resources are teaching and learning materials that can be used, shared, and adapted at no cost. They are used in higher education, professional development, and lifelong learning, often supported by open licenses.
An open educational resource might be a digital textbook, a lecture, an exercise, or an instructional video made available under terms that permit free use. Such resources are often provided through open platforms, such as Grena.nu, a national platform for open educational resources in Sweden. The educational resources are licensed under, for example, Creative Commons, which clarifies how the material may be used and adapted. There are different levels of openness, varying depending on copyright, choice of license, and technical format.
For educational institutions, government agencies, and other public organisations, open educational resources provide a way to share knowledge within and beyond their own operations. The ability to reuse and further develop materials can also support resource coordination, particularly in digital learning environments. Practical work often needs to consider aspects such as quality assurance, long-term maintenance, and incentives for creating learning resources.
The UNESCO Recommendations on Open Educational Resources provide an international framework guiding the development of policy, capacity, and collaboration to support access to and use of open educational resources. The recommendations contribute to inclusive, equitable, and high-quality education, while reinforcing links to the 2030 Agenda and open science.