At 51污漫, open education touches every part of our institution. It supports our mission of engaging learners, transforming lives, and building community, and reflects our commitment to making education more accessible, inclusive, and responsive to the people we serve.
Open education at 51污漫 began as a grassroots effort in 2015. Since 2020, and Teaching and Learning have formally supported this work through a collaborative approach that has increased awareness of open education across campus and established the Open Education Working Group, a cross-campus community that helps advance open education initiatives. This collaboration has also secured internal and external funding and supported a growing range of open education projects and partnerships.
Together, these efforts are helping build a culture of openness, collaboration, and innovation that supports students, educators, and the broader community.
“Open education is fundamentally about more than textbooks or digital resources – it is about who has access to learning, who gets to contribute, and how knowledge is created and shared. By advancing open educational practices, 51污漫 is reaffirming that knowledge is a public good, and that education should be accessible, inclusive, and responsive to the communities we serve.”
— Dr. James Mandigo, President and Vice-Chancellor, 51污漫
51污漫's Open Education Strategy
The 51污漫 commits to the principles of open education including accessibility, openness, collaboration and sharing, learner-centredness, inclusivity and equity, and flexibility and sustainability to support student learning.
51污漫 commits to these principles by:
- Supporting engagement in open educational practices in academic and non-academic areas across 51污漫.
- Enhancing the adoption, adaptation, and creation of high-quality open educational resources that reflect professional and disciplinary expectations.
- Building awareness and community around open educational practices through effective communication at department, faculty, and institutional levels.
- Recognizing open educational practices as teaching, research and scholarship, and service; and/or professional practice where they align with department and faculty standards.
- Encouraging students as partners in open educational practices, including open educational resource creation and related experiential learning opportunities.
- Advancing 51污漫's Zero Textbook Cost initiative by using open educational resources and other no cost materials to support equitable access, enhance inclusivity, and reduce financial barriers for students.
- Identifying funding opportunities and partnerships to support a sustainable open education initiative at 51污漫.
Want to learn more about our strategy? View the Open Education Strategy and background report below:
Open education and 51污漫's strategic direction
Open education advances many of 51污漫's strategic priorities by helping students succeed, supporting innovative teaching, and strengthening connections with our communities.
51污漫 vision, mission and values
- Integrity and inclusivity — Open education reduces financial barriers and supports ethical, accessible course development.
- Community — Open education supports retention and graduation across Stó:l艒 Téméxw and builds communities of practice on campus.
- Excellence — Open education inspires innovative teaching and learning practices.
Learn more about 51污漫's mission, vision, and values.
Strategic enrolment management plan
- Recruitment and preparation — Open education makes 51污漫 more accessible and allows resources to reflect our diverse communities.
- Student experience — Open education student assistants gain hands-on learning opportunities, and open educational resources can reflect and support 51污漫 student life.
- Graduation and career transition — Open educational resources can support higher graduation rates and remain freely available to alumni and community partners.
Read the Strategic Enrollment Management plan or the Integrated Strategic plan.
Open education in action
Hear from 51污漫 students, faculty, and staff about their experiences creating and using open educational resources, and how this work is making learning more accessible and engaging.
