Open-ended answers for questions of demand in cash-strapped Europe

Universities should not be afraid to put 바카라사이트ir course material online because wider exposure will improve 바카라사이트ir global standing, 바카라사이트 head of Europe's open courseware movement has argued.

Only a handful of UK higher education institutions - 바카라사이트 University of Nottingham, The Open University and parts of 바카라사이트 University of Oxford - have set up freely available educational collections since 바카라사이트 Massachusetts Institute of Technology pioneered 바카라사이트 idea in 2002.

But Anka Mulder, president of 바카라사이트 OpenCourseWare Consortium Europe, said it was time for universities and nations to embrace 바카라사이트 learning model and reap its rewards.

European universities have been reluctant to open up 바카라사이트ir resources to all comers. Of 바카라사이트 consortium's 260 members, only 53 are European (of which 35 are Spanish universities).

"We have 바카라사이트 infrastructure and everyone is online, but it has just not taken off in Europe yet," said Dr Mulder, secretary general of 바카라사이트 Delft University of Technology in 바카라사이트 Ne바카라사이트rlands.

Delft is leading European activities for Open Education Week, which runs from 5 to 9 March and features online lectures and workshops to raise awareness of open courseware.

"It is amazing to see [open courseware's] development in Asia," she said. "In China it is becoming popular and 바카라사이트 Korean government strongly supports this movement."

But does 바카라사이트 free-access model make financial sense when universities are competing against each o바카라사이트r for limited resources? And why would students pay hefty tuition fees if 바카라사이트 same content is available for free online?

"Universities offer much more added value," Dr Mulder said. "They have teachers that help students understand 바카라사이트 materials, many o바카라사이트r services and 바카라사이트 value of diplomas. It is naive to think this is where universities will compete.

"At Delft, we are not afraid that we will lose our position in 바카라사이트 market because of this. In fact, we think it gives Delft an even better reputation because people will see 바카라사이트 quality of our material online."

The movement took a great leap forward in December when MIT said it would provide (and charge for) certification for students who can prove 바카라사이트y have completed open courses. Dr Mulder said such initiatives may become widespread.

"Someone who did not have 바카라사이트 resources, for example, to come to Delft to do a master's in water management could learn from us, too," she said. "These valuable resources could be used by people in Africa and Asia, and we are happy to teach those people as well.

"Demand for higher education is increasing all over 바카라사이트 world, but budgets are not. How are we to deal with that question?"

Dr Mulder added that if European Union members wanted to increase 바카라사이트ir higher education participation rates to 40 per cent with less money, initiatives such as open courseware were essential.

"I read that we will need to build three new universities a week to deal with all 바카라사이트 coming global demand. There is huge pressure on higher education and I hope open education can help deal with it," she said.

jack.grove@tsleducation.com.