Presentation given at OpenEd conference, november 2014 in Washington, by Janina van Hees, Robert Schuwer and Ria Jacobi. Title: Higher Education Institutions as boosters of (steps towards) a national policy on open and online education

1. JANINA VAN HEES, ROBERT SCHUWER, RIA JACOBI
Higher Education Institutions as boosters
of (steps towards) a national policy
on open and online education
OpenEd 2014, Washington D.C.

2. SURF is a partnership
of and for institutions for higher
education and research
on the topic of ICT in higher education.
• 14 research universities
• 42 universities of applied sciences
(hogescholen)
• 8 university hospitals
• National Library of the Netherlands
(Koninklijke Bibliotheek)
• Netherlands Organisation for Scientific
Research (NWO)
• Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and
Sciences (KNAW)
Dutch HEI uniting in SURF and Special Interest Group
What is SURF?

3. • One of 17 SIGs supported by SURF
• Community of experts on specific topic
• exchange information and ideas,
trend-spotting, organization of meetings
Dutch HEI uniting in SURF and Special Interest Group
What is the Special interest group Open Education?

4. • one of 17 SIGs supported by SURF
• Community of experts on specific topic
• exchange information and ideas,
trend-spotting, organization of meetings
Dutch HEI uniting in SURF and SIG
What is the Special interest group Open Education?
Rationale:
- Working in a community contributes to individual
expertise and motivation
- Output of community supports all HEI
- Boost to national-level knowledge exchange and
policy-making

5. Examples of cross-institutional activities
Co-editing a trend report
Yearly publication
Jointly edited by HEI members of
staff (united in Special interest
Group)
HEIs combining fields of
expertise
Presentation of
trend report
to ministry
https://www.surf.nl/en/knowledge-and-
innovation/knowledge-base/2014/2014-open-
education-trend-report.html

6. Examples of cross-institutional activities
HEI learning from each other: SURFacademy
SURFacademy:
professionalization activities
- Seminars
- Masterclasses
- Summer schools
- etc
HEIs transferring expertise
among each other

7. Examples of cross-institutional activities
HEI learning from each other: SURFacademy
SURFacademy:
professionalization activities
- Seminars
- Masterclasses
- Summer schools
- etc
HEIs transferring expertise
among each other
Effects:
- Active community of contributing and benefiting from
each other’s expertise
- Key players at different HEI know who-is-who and
can consult each other’s expertise
- Reasons for different strategic choices at HEI
become clear(er)

8. Examples of cross-institutional activities
Strategy workshops for individual HEI
Offer to all HEI:
Moderation of
In-house strategy workshop on
open education
- Diverse representation
- Presence of board required
organization through
neutral party helps to reflect and
gives insight into similarities and
dissimilarities

9. Examples of cross-institutional activities
Strategy workshops for individual HEI
Offer to all HEI:
Moderation of
In-house strategy workshop on
open education
- Diverse representation
- Presence of board required
organization through
neutral party helps to reflect and
gives insight into similarities and
dissimilarities
Effects:
- Topic is on the agenda at 12 HEI
- Boost to enthusiasm, awareness, knowledge
- HEI board is actively involved
- Take-up after strategy-workshop is diverse:
- No follow-up…
- Internal pilots….
- Strategic choices ….

10. Examples of cross-institutional activities
Field trip for HEI board members
SURF organizes field trip
for 16 HEI board members and
ministry of Education
representatives
to Washington DC, Boston, New
York
daily blog as wrap-up of
experiences and conclusions

11. Examples of cross-institutional activities
Field trip for HEI board members
SURF organizes field trip
for 16 HEI board members and
ministry of Education
representatives
to Washington DC, Boston, New
York
daily blog as wrap-up of
experiences and conclusions
Effects:
- Key opportunity to generate a shared vision
- Input given to ministry representatives for
development of programme
- Sparked an initiative for joint development of OER
among all nursing schools

12. First steps towards a national policy
on open and online education in higher education
Minister’s letter to Parliament
funding for 4-year support
programme on Open and Online
Education
Programme starts
17 nov 2014
Minister of Education Jet Bussemaker
CC By Wikimedia

13. Steps towards a national policy
on open and online education in higher education
Minister’s letter to Parliament
funding for 4-year support
programme on Open and Online
Education
Programme starts
17 nov 2014
Minister of Education Jet Bussemaker
CC By Wikimedia
SURF organized discussion with HEI
on how programme should be set up
HEI define main topics that should be addressed
(‘knowledge agenda’) during programme
4-year support programme as base for further steps
towards a national policy?

14. Can you do the same? Why shouldn’t you?
- Does country size matter?
- Does organization form of higher education matter?
- Does policy-making mechanism matter?
- ….?
- Feedback Barbara Unger on her study
concerning Austria-takeup of SURF
approach
CC By Hakarune

15. W
Janina van Hees
Janina.vanhees@surf.nl
@janinavhees of @SURF_NL
Janina van Hees
Janina.van.hees
http://www.linkedin.com/groups/Dutch-Special-Interest-Group-Open-3681051
www.surfspace.nl/openeducation of www.surf.nl/openeducation
Janina van Hees
030 - 234 66 14
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