OERu/Strategic plan 2014 - 2017/Strategic plan 2015 - 2017/Message from the Chair of the Open Education Resource Foundation

=Message from the Chair of the Open Education Resource Foundation=

Established in 2009, the Open Education Resource Foundation (OERF) is an independent, not-for-profit organisation that provides leadership, international networking and support for educational institutions to achieve their strategic objectives using open education approaches.

OER universitas (OERu) is a flagship initiative of the Foundation aimed at widening access to more affordable education using OER. The Foundation is coordinating the development of the OERu network comprising an innovation partnership of universities, polytechnics, colleges, and non-teaching agencies from six major regions of the world. The implementation of the OERu is also a designated project of the UNESCO / Commonwealth of Learning OER Chair network.

The constitution of Foundation directs the charity to support the adoption and implementation of OER for the benefit of the education institutions and the learner communities they serve. Consequently, the OERF subscribes to the principles of open philanthropy and open governance for its operations and projects. All planning activities of the Foundations' initiatives are conducted according to the principles of transparency. True to our commitment of open planning, the Foundation launched an open consultation process in May 2014 for the development of the OERu strategic plan encouraging feedback and inputs from OERu partners and the open community. The OERu Management Committee has been instrumental in providing oversight in progressing the operational priorities for 2014 identified during the 2013 international meeting of OERu partners and preparing inputs for progressing the successful implementation of the strategic plan.

The performance targets for the strategic plan were discussed and calibrated during the 3rd meeting of OERu partners in Hobart in November and tabled for consideration by the OERu Council of Chief Executive Officers. The final version of the plan was tabled and approved at the December meeting of the OERF Board of Directors to ensure alignment of the Foundation's own strategy with the OERu Strategic Plan 2015- 2017.

The open and consultative development of this three-year strategic plan represents a significant milestone for the OERu collaboration. Through the activities of the OERu, the OERF is well on track to achieving a fiscally sustainable model for widening access to more affordable education especially for those learners who are currently excluded from the formal education sector.