Context In 2001, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology launched its Open Courseware initiative. Since then the socalled Open Educational Resources (OER) movement has gained followers around the world. Organizations such as UNESCO have taken an interest in this development from the start; OER is of particular relevance to developing countries given that OER combined with open, flexible and distance learning can contribute to increasing standards in, and access to education. Recognizing the importance of this movement, and based upon discussions between the International Council for Open and Distance Education and UNESCO at the ICDE Standing Conference of Presidents Meeting in June 2006, ICDE elected to establish the ICDE Global Task Force on Open Educational Resources, to be composed of members from every continent, and with differing cultural and educational perspectives. The Task Force delivered its Final Report compiled by Fred Mulder, Rector, and Jos Rikers, Senior Officer International Relations, Open Universiteit Nederland, The Netherlands in December 2008. Mandate The mandate of the Task Force was to develop a report on Open Educational Resources aimed at contributing to the global OER movement by adopting the selfanddistancelearning perspective ICDE flavor rather than the mainstream contentinclassroom perspective.

Keywords

education for all · OECD · OER research · OER sustainability · UNESCO