10. Sustainability, Networking and Dissemination of the Open Education Policy

UNIR finds the combination of sustainability, networking and dissemination as crucial to a completely successful OER policy. Sustainability, networking and dissemination are key activities that have to work together with the same goal: to provide support and collaboration of all the stake holders in the open activities.

Anderson & McGreal’s (2012) basic model for the provision of post-secondary educational services on distance education institutions included the following: content services, interaction services, credentialing services, support service and technological services need to work together as complementary and integrated areas. This coordination can assure the sustainability of the system.

UNIR is going to foster the collaborative relationship with their national and international partners in order to evaluate the correct implementation of this policy. With the support of the UNESCO Chair on eLearning and the ICDE Chair on Open Education Resources (//research.unir.net/unesco), UNIR has access to the latest policies currently in place worldwide, the best practices, and the most well-known experts in the field. Among UNIR’s partners there are also a variety of institutions who work in association with UNIR in European projects in which UNIR will found a network to learn from, and to ask for support if it is needed.

With regards to the dissemination of scientific knowledge, UNIR develops its Science Dissemination Unit (UCC+i), supervised by the Vice-rectorate for Transfer Knowledge and Technology (http://transfer.unir.net) and certified by the Spanish Foundation for Science and Technology (FECYT). The mission of this unit is to disseminate research outcomes to the general public through mass media, social networks and innovative media formats. The production of news, reports, and audio-visual resources is part of its core description, so it will be an excellent support for the sustainability of this Policy.