16. Ministers stressed that ICT was vital to increasing access at all levels, hence improving the efficiency of the education system, but that technology should be driven by educational needs. They noted that while there was a plethora of initiatives for the development of Open Education Resources (OER), such as scientific publications, eBooks and journals, there was a need to set up a common platform for OER materials for harmonisation and ease of access. They further highlighted the need for a common framework for all open universities of the Commonwealth, especially those in small states. Quality assurance mechanisms should be strengthened to make them more relevant to the needs of stakeholders.
Kate Makowiecka on 11 May 12Creative Commons licences are intended to facilitate open access to copyright materials, both online and offline, while allowing the copyright owner to expressly reserve some rights. 'Creative Commons' describes both a movement and a network of organisations whose focus is the drafting and promotion of various licences that can be applied to copyright materials.
