The TOUCANS project investigates the concept of the Open Educational Resources university (OERu), which was initiated by Otago Polytechnic (New Zealand), the University of Southern Queensland (Australia) and the University of Athabasca (Canada), with the support of UNESCO, the Commonwealth of Learning, the OER Foundation and the Hewlett Foundation. (See Wikieducator, Taylor, 2011 and Athabasca University et al, 2011.) The OERu aims to provide quality higher education opportunities for the estimated 100 million adults around the world for whom university is currently unaffordable and inaccessible.

The OERu has 13 Anchor Partners internationally, who have all agreed to collaborate via the OERten - the OERu Tertiary Education Network. The OERu concept is to be piloted by these 13 institutions from Sept 2012, and a full launch is planned for Sept 2013. 

TOUCANS research aims

TOUCANS aims to describe the models and frameworks that these institutions intend to use for the OERu pilot, and also to ascertain the perceptions of stakeholders in HEIs in the UK towards the OERu. It is hoped that the findings from this study will assist those UK HEIs that are considering participating in the OERu, or other collaborative initiatives aimed at amplifying the impact of open educational resources, to make informed decisions around such participation.

References

• Athabasca University: Technology Enhanced Knowledge Research Institute, Open Educational Resource (OER) Foundation, Otago Polytechnic, University of Southern Queensland. 2011. Open Education Resource University: Towards a logic model and plan for action. Retrieved from http://wikieducator.org/images/c/c2/Report_OERU-Final-version.pdf.

• Commonwealth of Learning (COL) and South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA). 2008. Transnational Qualifications Framework for the Virtual University for Small States of the Commonwealth. Concept Document. Vancouver: Commonwealth of Learning. Retrieved from http://www.col.org/tqf.

• Taylor, J.C. (2011). 'The OER university: From logic model to action plan'. Keynote Address. Open Planning meeting for the OER assessment and credit for students project, Otago Polytechnic, 23 February 2011, Dunedin, New Zealand. http://goo.gl/nWoDO

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