Support Centres for Open education and MOOCS in different Regions of Europe 2020 Erasmus Project

Project Title

Support Centres for Open education and MOOCS in different Regions of Europe 2020

Project Key Action

This project related with these key action: Cooperation for innovation and the exchange of good practices

Project Action Type

This project related with this action type : Strategic Partnerships for higher education

Project Call Year

This project’s Call Year is 2014

Project Topics

This project is related with these Project Topics: ICT – new technologies – digital competences; International cooperation, international relations, development cooperation; Regional dimension and cooperation

Project Summary

The MOOC hype in the media might be over, but investment in and uptake of MOOCs are increasing significantly worldwide. By the end of 2015, approximately 4,200 courses were offered by 500+ universities to 35 million students. This has increased by 2016 to 6,850 courses by over 700 universities to 58 million students (Class Central, 2016). However, these figures exclude many European MOOC offering as Class Central mainly lists MOOC offering of the big (commercial) MOOC platforms. Many European universities have built an own platform or use a regional platform with a limited visibility.

MOOCs are becoming mainstream in Europe. Already four independent European studies show a strong MOOC involvement of higher education institutions (HEIs). At least about 45% of HEIs in Europe are having MOOCs or planning to develop MOOCs soon against 12% in the US. Although some differences are observed between countries, it seems that a strong European involvement is widespread. These surveys show that the uptake in Eastern Europe is catching up. However, strongest involvement is seen in those regions with supportive policies and structures.

Most European universities are not accepted by the big MOOC platforms in the US by lacking the reputation (in ranking) and finances to become a partner. Consequently, many HEIs in Europe that want to be involved in MOOCs cannot connect to big MOOC players and are potentially left behind or need to invest in platform, tools and services themselves. As MOOCs are for massive audiences and relate to economy of scale – regional support structures and European strategic partnerships are essential.

To this end the SCORE2020 project builds a European consortium of regional players in offering support of MOOCs and open education. The partnership will stimulate the set-up of regional support centres for the development and use of MOOCs and open education. These regional support centres promote, stimulate and activate the development and the delivery of MOOCs and other modes of open education as well as use of MOOCs in their region.

SCORE2020 partners are:
• EADTU
• Open Universiteit Nederland
• UNED – Universidad Nacional de Educación a Distancia
• Università Telematica Internazionale UNINETTUNO
• Dublin City University
• Fédération Interuniversitaire de l’Enseignement à Distance (FIED)
• Norwegian Agency for Digital Learning in Higher Education / Universitetet i Tromsø
• Univerza v Ljubljani

The partnership is representative for the diversity in Europe and has strong collaborations with other regions in Europe to ensure European-wide connections to SCORE2020. The added value of this partnership is that it represents institutions that already have a position in their respective regions in open and online education, and as institution is connected to the supportive infrastructure in their country.

They constitute together a European strategic partnership, which is supported by the European OpenupEd MOOC initiative. They valorised the MOOCs developed in different regions in a broader European and global context. It also strengthens each of the regional centres by sharing and developing transnational expertise of which each can benefit.

Specific objectives of the SCORE2020 project are
– determining the needs of different support structures and create awareness of existing support materials for
different target groups
– exchange and jointly develop expertise on the design and development of MOOCs
– develop a common approach to quality in MOOCs
– provide various support to stakeholders (material, events, training weeks, train-the-trainer mOOC)
– stimulate policy awareness of the role of MOOCs and on role governments in MOOC support structure
– examine various possible regional support structures including possible business models in MOOC provision
– create a European partnership of regional support structure in the field of MOOC and open education.

In total 13 Intellections outputs were realised tailored to the identified needs of various target groups. Next five Multiplier Events and two training events were organised. Quality assurance frameworks, the different support scenario’s, the financial models on MOOCs and the Business Canvas Models developed in the SCORE2020 project are already re-used and applied by various institutions and even used in the setup of support regions like in Slovenia and Czech Republic.

SCORE2020 partners will continue to strengthen the operations of each partners and beyond as part of OpenupEd. They will continue to promote local initiatives such that all are keeping their own identity and where possible strengthen the uptake of MOOCs at European level. Moreover, new partnerships are initiated and a European MOOC Consortium is under development.

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 277629,6 Eur

Project Coordinator

VERENIGING VAN EUROPEAN DISTANCE TEACHING UNIVERSITIES & Country: NL

Project Partners

• UNIVERSITA TELEMATICA INTERNAZIONALE-UNINETTUNO
• UNIVERZA V LJUBLJANI
• UNIVERSITETET I TROMSOE
• Fédération interuniversitaire de l’enseignement à distance
• OPEN UNIVERSITEIT NEDERLAND
• DUBLIN CITY UNIVERSITY
• UNIVERSIDAD NACIONAL DE EDUCACION A DISTANCIA