Program Overview

Opening Higher Education - How to strengthen university teaching with open educational resources

Description

"Open Education" refers to new forms of knowledge transmission and new forms of learning made possible by digitalization. With the global spread of the internet and connected devices, both the diffusion of and the access to information have become easier and more affordable. Numerous platforms offering online learning materials (videos, courses, exercises, etc.), sometimes with formal degrees, are available. Universities also provide learning materials as "Open Educational Resources".

The aim of this course is to explore the meaning of such transformations for higher education. We will discuss general issues concerning the role universities should play in this new landscape. We will also answer practical questions: where can I find high-quality online learning materials and how can I integrate them into my teaching? How can I openly release my teaching materials online, and why should I? What legal aspects should be considered, and in particular: what do I need to know about copyright?

This course is composed of two phases.

1. Participants will receive learning materials (readings, quizzes, etc.) about a week in advance and will go through this content at their own pace (workload about 2 hours).
2. All participants and the instructor meet for an interactive session. The instructor reviews the material, answers the participants' questions and, by way of exercises and other activities, encourages a broader exchange of ideas on the topic of open education and Open Educational Resources.

Requirements for receiving a certificate of attendance:

• Completion of all tasks during the asynchronous learning phase
• Attendance in the synchronous session

Course Information

• Date: Thursday, April 23, 2026 till Thursday, April 30, 2026
• Registration Opens: November 25, 2025
• Registration Deadline: April 12, 2026, 11:59 PM
• Course Fees: University Members: CHF 50.00, Non-University Members: CHF 150.00
• Trainer: Dr. Jean Terrier
• Credits: Certificates of Higher Education Practice: Module 'Digital Literacies for Teaching' (5h)

Content

• What is "Open Higher Education"?
• Chances and challenges of "Open Education"
• How to participate in "Open Education" and why?
• Resources for high-quality online learning materials
• Legal aspects: copyright and licenses, esp. Creative Commons

Target Group

All employees of the University. PhD students and postdocs are also eligible.

Requirements

None

Feature

• 23.04.2026 - 29.04.2026: individual asynchronous learning phase (workload about 2 hours)
• 30.04.2026, 13:30 - 16:30: classroom session, Kollegienhaus

Location

Universität Basel, Kollegienhaus Petersplatz 1, 4001 Basel