OERu/OERu 15.10 Council of CEOs/Report

North-West University conference centre, Vanderbijlpark

“	Signing off from the OERu meeting in South Africa. Great to experience the open process in action. Thanks to our hosts at NorthWest. #OERu	”
—Catherine Clark

Fourteen OERu partners, representing forty-four percent of the partner network convened at the North-West University conference centre in Vanderbijlpark on 9 October 2015 for the 3^rd meeting of the OERu Council of Chief Executive Officers. Prof Martin Oosthuizen, the African representative of the Executive Committee of the Council chaired the meeting. The meeting reviewed progress of the OERu 2015 operational priorities and considered the decision proposals generated during the partner's meeting. The Council also reviewed the issues tabled at the OERu partners meeting.

Aims of the meeting

The purpose of the 3rd meeting of the OERu Council of CEOs was to:

• Evaluate progress on the consolidation phase of the OERu
• Review recommendations and decision proposals from the 4th meeting of OERu partners
• Review open business models for OERu partners
• Review operational targets for 2016
• Discuss strategic directions for the OERu network.

Summary of key decisions

“	Always a pleasure and privilege to work and spend time with #OERu crowd.	”
—Brian Lamb

1. Expanded the Council's terms of reference to include the following:
   • Provide advice and guidance to the network on the implementation of the OERu
   • Provide mentorship and support to OERu partners for collaborative implementation of the OERu
   • Promote the expansion and development of the network.
2. Confirmed that existing office bearers of the Executive Committee of Council (OERu EXCOM) will continue in their roles. (The OERu Excom comprises representatives from Africa, Europe, North America and Oceania.)
3. Endorsed the decision to implement the OERu 1^st year of study during 2016 as progress towards an exit award.
4. Agreed to develop a role description to clarify the need for a fixed-term programme director role to progress product development. Description for further consideration by the Council to include what the role might entail, and options for resourcing.
5. Tasked the Strategic Planning working group to refine the 2016 operational priorities and calibrate corresponding KPIs initiated during the 2015 partners meeting for final approval by the Executive Committee after consultation with the OERu Management Committee.
6. Approved the proposed refinements to the OERu Institutional Action Plan (IAP) process.
7. Requested the dissemination of the OERu Open Business Models to all Vice-Chancellors, Presidents and Chief Executives in the network.
8. Agreed to establish a small team of marketing professionals from OERu partners to advise on the brief for the capability grant to support marketing, communications and fund development and to commence work on the development of a marketing plan for recruiting OERu learners.
9. Agreed to establish a small project team from OERu executive leaders to delineate what leaders, academic and professional support staff need to know and what they need to do to progress OERu implementation.

Introduction

Prof Martin Oosthuizen, in his capacity of Vice-Chair (Africa) of the OERu Council for Chief Executive Officers (CEOs), welcomed participants to the meeting followed by brief introductions from the attendees. The participants confirmed the aims of the meeting.

Dr Wayne Mackintosh, representing the Board of Directors of the OER Foundation, provided a brief summary of the history of the OERu and key milestones for the benefit of new members of joining the OERu Council meeting for the first time.

OERu Council terms of reference and office bearers

1. Reviewed the Terms of reference of the Council including: the aims of the OERu, membership of the Council and roles and responsibilities of its members.
2. Noted the dynamic nature of the collaboration and agreed to expand the roles of Council as follows:
   • Provide advice and guidance to the network on the implementation of the OERu
   • Provide mentorship and support to OERu partners for collaborative implementation of the OERu
   • Promote the expansion and development of the network.
3. Confirmed that the current Executive Committee structure of the Council is working well and agreed to retain the current office bearers as follows:
   • Chair & North American representative: Alan Davis, Vice-Chancellor, Kwantlen Polytechnic University
   • European representative: Clive Mulholland, Vice-Chancellor, University of Highlands and Islands.
   • African representative: Martin Oosthuizen, Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Teaching and Learning, North-West University
   • Oceania representative: Phil Ker, Chief Executive, Otago Polytechnic.

Decision proposals and issues arising from the OERu partner's meeting

1. Tabled the decision proposals and redacted version of issues agreed at the 4^th international meeting of OERu partners for consideration by the Council of CEOs.
2. Emphasised the importance of developing minimum viable product (MVP) and the associated risks relating to the network's credibility in the event of non-delivery of sufficient OERu courses leading to an exit award:
   • Endorsed the decision recommendation to implement the OERu 1^st year of study leading to an exit award during 2016 (refer to KPIs from partners meeting for further detail).
   • Nominated the Certificate in Higher Education at the University of Highlands and Islands as a target award - the University will investigate the implications for implementation.
   • The OERu will survey the network to identify additional awards that could be offered at the 1st-year level in general studies.
3. Discussed opportunities and challenges associated with the establishment of a programme director role(s) and corresponding funding implications to progress programme development in the short term:
   • Noted different approaches for resourcing a short-term role to progress programme development including a call for volunteers from the partner network, financial contributions from partners for a shared fixed-term position or an externally funded project.
   • Agreed that a role description should be developed to clarify the potential need for a fixed-term programme director role to progress product development including what the role might entail and options for resourcing the role for further deliberation and subsequent network decision.
4. Endorsed the approval of the Credit Transfer and Credit Accumulation guidelines and noted that the Standing Committee for Credit Transfer will progress consultative development of supporting processes and implementation guidelines.
5. Tasked the Strategic Planning working group to refine 2016 operational priorities and to calibrate KPIs recommended during the 2015.10 partner's meeting for consideration by the OERu Management Committee and final approval by the Executive Committee of Council before the end of 2015.
6. Approved the proposed refinements to the OERu institutional action plan (IAP) process:
   • Improve briefing process for the IAP call, taking institutional readiness into account
   • Design a process so that the OERu IAP call is made from the executive
   • Include an explicit option in the IAP process for collaboration with network partners.
7. Requested the dissemination of the OERu Open Business Models developed at the regional OERu meetings to all Vice-Chancellors, Presidents and Chief Executives of the network with a succinct cover sheet summarising the purpose, benefits and options to remix and customise the models for internal purposes.
8. Endorsed the suggestion to invite all partner institutions to nominate an appropriate staff member with relevant IT /Educational Technology skills to join the OERu technology working group thus building knowledge of open source technologies, which is a key point of difference and strategic benefit of our network.
9. Discussed a wide range of issues relating to marketing, communications, and fund development:
   • Acknowledged the need for information resources to support partner recruitment; for example, a brochure and professionally prepared slideshow.
   • Stressed the need to promote OERu brand awareness internationally, particularly for prospective learners.
   • Noted the US$24,500 grant from the Hewlett to support marketing, communications, and fund development.
   • Agreed to constitute a small team of marketing professionals from OERu partners to assist in developing the brief for implementation of the capability development grant.
   • Agreed that this marketing team should advise on developing a marketing plan for the OERu.
10. Discussed a wide range of issues relating to effective partner engagement and reducing barriers to participation.
    • Noted that:
      1. At many partner institutions, internal OERu discussions are limited to a small number of individuals working directly with the OERu.
      2. Given the international scope and complexities of the OERu collaboration, there is a need to promote greater understanding of the project.
      3. It is important to situate and convey how the OERu collaboration can support the attainment of the individual partner's strategic objectives.
      4. More effort is needed to articulate what it means to be a member of the network, taking institutional readiness into account.
    • Agreed to establish a small project team from OERu executive leaders to delineate what leaders, academic and professional support staff need to know and what they need to do to progress OERu implementation.