Opening up education : innovative teaching and learning for all through new technologies and open educational resources.
Date: 2015-05-13
Institutions: Directorate-General for Education, Youth, Sport and Culture
Subjects: diffusion of innovations, digital literacy, education policy, learning, learning technique, new educational methods, new technology, teaching materials, updating of skills

Opening up Education

Innovative teaching and learning 
for all through new Technologies 
and Open Educational Resources

Education & 
Culture

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Contents

Technology and Open Educational Resources  
as opportunities to reshape EU education.............................................04

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boxes or hotels may charge you).

1) Open Learning Environments: opportunities to  

 innovate for organisations, teachers and learners..........................08

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Luxembourg: Publications Office of the European Union, 2014

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1.1 Innovative organisations ..............................................................................10

1.2 Innovative teachers.........................................................................................14

1.3 Innovation for learners...................................................................................16

2) Open Educational Resources: opportunities to  

  use open knowledge for better quality and access.........................20

3) Connectivity and Innovation: partnerships for  

  infrastructures, new products and services, and interoperability.....28

4)  A concerted effort to seize the opportunities  

 of the digital revolution............................................................................34

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Technology and Open Educational Resources as 
opportunities to reshape EU education

This  Communication  sets  out  a  European  agenda  for  stimulating  high-quality, 
innovative  ways  of  learning  and  teaching  through  new  technologies  and  digital 
content.  ‘Opening  up  education’  proposes  actions  towards  more  open  learning  
environments  to  deliver  education  of  higher  quality  and  efficacy  and  thus  con-
tributing to the Europe 2020 goals of boosting EU competitiveness and growth 
through better skilled workforce and more employment.

It contributes to the EU headline targets for reducing early school leaving and increasing tertiary 
or equivalent attainment1 and builds on the recent initiatives ‘Rethinking Education’2, ‘European 
Higher Education in the World’3 as well as the flagship initiative Digital Agenda4.

It proposes actions at EU and national levels, notably:

-  helping learning institutions, teachers and learners to acquire digital  

skills and learning methods

- 

- 

supporting development and availability of open educational resources

connecting classrooms and deploying digital devices and content

-  mobilizing all stakeholders (teachers, learners, families, economic and social partners) 

to change the role of digital technologies at education institutions

Between 50% and 
80% of students in the 
EU never use digital 
textbooks, exercise 
software, broadcasts/
podcasts, simulations
or learning games

Even  though  the  key  for  success  depends 
foremost on Member States, the EU also has 
a  role  to  play.  It  can  promote  best  practic-
es  and  support  exchanges  across  Member 
States. It can deliver benefits from economies 
of  scale  and  interoperability,  thus  avoiding 
fragmentation. It can support the deployment 
and availability of digital technology and con-
tent through financial support, public-private 
partnerships and recommendations.

EU education is failing to keep 
pace with the digital society  
and economy…

Digital  technologies  are  fully  embedded  in 
the way people interact, work and trade; yet 
they  are  not  being  fully  exploited  in  educa-
tion  and  training  systems  across  Europe.  A 
recent study5 on the state of digital provision 
in  schools  in  the  Union  revealed  that  63% 
of  nine  year  olds  do  not  study  at  a  ‘highly 
digitally-equipped  school’  (with  appropriate 
equipment,  fast  broadband  and  high  ‘con-
nectivity’).  While  70%  of  teachers  in  the  EU 
recognize the importance of training in digi-
tal-supported ways of teaching and learning, 
only 20-25% of students are taught by digi-
tally confident and supportive teachers. Most 
teachers use Information and Communication 
Technologies  (ICT)  mainly  to  prepare  their 
teaching,  rather  than  to  work  with  students 
during lessons6.

Today’s learners expect more personalization, 
collaboration and better links between formal 
and informal learning much of it being possi-
ble  through  digital-supported  learning.  How-
ever,  between  50%  and  80%  of  students  in 
the  EU  never  use  digital  textbooks,  exercise 
software, broadcasts/podcasts, simulations or 
learning games. The EU lacks a critical mass 
of good quality educational content and ap-
plications  in  specific  subjects  and  multiple 
languages  as  well  as  connected  devices  for 
all students and teachers. A new digital divide 
in the EU, between those who have access to 
innovative,  technology-based  education  and 
those who do not, is on the rise as a conse-
quence of this fragmentation of approaches 
and of markets.

The  EU  also  risks  lagging  behind  other  re-
gions of the world. The USA and some Asian 
countries  are  investing  in  ICT-based  strat-
egies  to  reshape  education  and  training. 
They  are  transforming,  modernizing  and 
internationalising  education  systems  with 
tangible  effects  in  schools  and  universi-
ties  on  access  to  and  cost  of  education,  on 
teaching  practices  and  their  worldwide  rep-
utation  or  branding.  A  case  in  point  is  that 
much of the supply of digital content comes 
from  players  outside  Europe,  including  from 
educational  institutions  offering  their  cours-
es  globally  through  Massive  Open  Online  
Courses (MOOCs).

1  2012/C 70/05
2  COM(2012)669
3  COM(2013)499
4  COM(2010)245
5  See http://ec.europa.eu/information_society/newsroom/cf/dae/document.cfm?doc_id=1800 
6  See accompanying Staff Working Document for all data and evidence used in this Communication

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…and yet technology provides 
the opportunity to increase 
efficiency and equity  
in education.

The  potential  benefits  of  the  digital  revo-
lution  in  education  are  multiple:  individuals 
can easily seek and acquire knowledge from 
sources other than their teachers7 and insti-
tutions, often for free; new groups of learners 
can be reached because learning is no longer 
confined  to  specific  classroom  timetables  or 
methods and can be personalised; new edu-
cation providers emerge; teachers may easily 
share and create content with colleagues and 
learners from different countries; and a much 
wider range of educational resources can be 
accessed. Open technologies allow All individ-
uals to learn, Anywhere, Anytime, through Any 
device, with the support of Anyone.

importantly,  education  and  knowl-
Most 
edge  are  able  to  travel  far  more  easily 
across  borders  greatly  increasing  the  value 
of  and  potential  for  international  coopera-
tion.  Thanks  to  Open  Educational  Resources 
(OER)8,  and  namely  MOOCs,  teachers  and 
education  institutions  can  now  reach  thou-
sands  of  learners  from  all  five  continents 
simultaneously,  showcasing  that  language 
is  not  always  a  barrier.  Cooperation  is  en-
hanced  by  allowing  learners,  educators,  re-
searchers  and  institutions  to  create,  share 
and discuss content with peers from all over  
the world.

Open technologies allow 
All individuals to learn, 
Anywhere, Anytime, through 
Any device, with the support 
of Anyone

7  The word teachers is used as meaning ‘teachers, trainers, professors and other educators from all educational levels 

and sectors’

8  OER are learning resources that are usable, adaptable to specific learning needs, and shareable freely

since summer 2012. The results and detailed 
evidence  base  are  also  presented  in  a  Staff 
Working  Document  (SWD)  that  provides  an 
analysis  of  the  current  situation  in  Member 
States  with  significant  differences  among 
them,  highlights  best  practices,  and  analy-
ses the main obstacles at EU level impeding 
the  introduction  of  innovation  in  education 
through  digital  content  and  technologies. 
What  is  at  stake  obviously  varies  between 
different  learning  sectors  (i.e.  compulsory 
education,  higher  education,  vocational  edu-
cation and training and adult education) and 
non-formal and informal learning.

In addition to broadening access to education, 
wider use of new technology and open edu-
cational resources can contribute to alleviat-
ing costs for educational institutions and for 
students,  especially  among  disadvantaged 
groups. This equity impact requires, however, 
sustained  investment  in  educational  infra-
structures and human resources.

Open  technologies  provide  the  opportunity 
for  Europe  to  attract  new  talent,  equip  citi-
zens  with  relevant  skills,  promote  science 
and research and fuel innovation, productiv-
ity,  employment  and  growth.  Europe  should 
act now providing the right policy framework 
and a stimulus to introduce innovative learn-
ing  and  teaching  practices  in  schools,  uni-
versities,  vocational  education  and  training 
(VET) and adult learning institutions. The EU 
policy  framework  (the  Open  Method  of  Co-
ordination  in  Education  and  Training  2020) 
and  EU  programmes  (particularly  Erasmus+, 
Horizon 2020 and the Structural and Invest-
ment Funds) can provide incentives and cre-
ate framework conditions for this to happen. 
This can help all Member States and regions, 
particularly those less developed, to also ben-
efit from quality education, and improve their 
growth potential, thus maintaining economic 
and social convergence.

The  actions  proposed  in  this  document  will 
be supported by the EU as mentioned above 
and reflect the results of consultation with a 
broad range of stakeholders which took place 

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1

Open Learning Environments:
opportunities to innovate for organisations, 
teachers and learners

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Educational institutions 
should consider 
assessing how fit and 
ready they are to use 
ICT and reviewing their 
organisational and 
business models  
if necessary

10

1.1 Innovative organisations

Education and training institutions need to review their 
organisational strategies…

All educational institutions need to improve their capacity to adapt, promote in-
novation and exploit the potential of technologies and digital content. In effect, 
however, institutional strategies tend to oppose openness to education that ICT 
provides. 

In school education and VET, restrictive regu-
lations on curricula and assessment practices 
impede the full exploitation of technology-en-
abled  approaches  to  teaching  and  learning. 
In  higher  education  other  factors  such  as 
inflexible funding and governance structures, 
compounded  by  restrictions  on  budgetary 
resources,  inhibit  change.  In  adult  learning 
too,  ICT  offers  huge  potential  for  structur-
al  change:  a  survey  carried  out  in  Finland9 
shows  that  only  41%  of  respondent  organ-
isations  in  Finnish  industry  had  used  online 
learning in their 2012 staff training. Yet using 
ICT in training can reduce costs and increase 
flexibility in terms of time and space.

Only  if  educational  institutions  change  the 
framework  conditions  in  which  they  operate 
will they grasp the opportunities that ICT pro-
vides.  Open  learning  environments  require 
the  leaders  of  educational  institutions  to 
play  an  active  role  by:  providing  a  strategic 

vision;  transforming  siloed  institutions  into 
connected learning communities and reward-
ing professionals for innovative teaching ap-
proaches. Leadership has to be accompanied 
by  organisational  change  and  institutional 
development  plans.  Educational  institutions 
should consider assessing how fit and ready 
they are to use ICT and reviewing their organ-
isational  and  business  models  if  necessary. 
This  implies,  for  example  assessing  what 
efficiency  gains  can  be  made  by  digitising 
back-offices,  whether  ICT  is  safely  integrat-
ed  as  can  be  done  via  the  eSafety  label  for 
schools10  or,  whether  learning  and  teaching 
are digitally supported. It may also require a 
review of whether it is the institution’s voca-
tion  to  transmit  knowledge  and/or  to  certify 
its acquisition.

9  http://www.ek.fi/ek/fi/tutkimukset_julkaisut/2013/4_huhti/henko_tiedustelu2013.pdf 

10  http://www.esafetylabel.eu/ - the eSafety label is an initiative developed by some Ministries of Education of the 

European Schoolnet network 

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The appearance of disruptive innovation like 
MOOCs has the potential to transform high-
er  education  and  create  new  competition 
and  centres  of  excellence  among  universi-
ties  worldwide.  Even  though  the  first  Open 
Courseware  project  began  in  Germany,  the 
biggest  shifts  are  taking  place  in  the  USA. 
While the three main MOOC providers in the 
USA offer around 400 courses, with three mil-
lion users worldwide, few European universi-
ties  are  providing  MOOCs.  A  recent  survey11 
shows  that  one  third  of  the  200  European 
universities  consulted  were  not  even  aware 
of what a MOOC is, and only one third were 
considering any MOOC-related initiative.

Exploiting this potential can best be achieved 
through  strategic  partnerships.  One  positive 
example is the recent launch of the European 
MOOC Initiative by the European Association 
of  Distance  Teaching  Universities12.  Such  an 
initiative proves that working across borders 
provides the necessary scale to generate new 
education solutions which would otherwise be 
out  of  reach  if  designed  by  each  institution 
on its own.

…to stimulate innovative 
learning practices.

A stronger use of learning experiences, com-
(blended 
bining  face-to-face  and  online 
learning),  can  increase  student’s  motivation 
and  the  efficacy  of  learning.  In  apprentice-
ship-type training, for example, technologies 
can  be  used  to  simulate  real-life  situations 
where  learners  improve  their  technical  skills 
and  their  problem-solving  abilities.  Technol-
ogy  also  allows  for  new  ways  of  learning 
and  assessing,  focussing  more  on  what  the 
learner is capable of doing rather than on the 
mere  acquisition  of  information  or  on  what 
the learner is capable of repeating.

Technology makes it possible to develop new 
solutions  for  better  personalised  learning, 
by  allowing  teachers  to  have  a  more  accu-
rate and up-to-date follow up of each learn-
er.  Through  learning  analytics13,  new  and 
more  learner-centred  teaching  methods  can 
emerge  since  the  evolution  of  learners  who 
use  ICT  regularly  can  be  closely  monitored: 
teachers  may  know  the  exact  learning  out-
comes of each individual and identify needs 
for additional support depending on each in-
dividual’s learning style. 

Technology makes it 
possible to develop new 
solutions for better 
personalised learning, 
by allowing teachers to 
have a more accurate 
and up-to-date follow 
up of each learner

11  http://www.eua.be/news/13-0225/Massive_Open_Online_Courses_MOOCs_EUA_to_look_at_development_of_ 

MOOCs_and_trends_in_innovative_learning.aspx 

12  http://www.openuped.eu

13  Learning analytics are defined as the measurement, collection, analysis and reporting of data about learners and their 

contexts. See http://www.solaresearch.org/

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1.2 Innovative teachers

Teachers should be able to acquire high digital competences…

Teachers have been, over the years, constant promoters of innovation in our ed-
ucational institutions. However, when considering the integration of ICT, many do 
not possess the necessary competences for the pedagogic use of ICT. 

Only  seven  countries14  have  30  to  50%  of 
students  at  grade  4  and/or  grade  8  taught 
by  digitally  confident  and  supportive  teach-
ers, with high access to ICT and who face low 
obstacles to their use at school. Studies also 
show that 70% of teachers in the EU would 
like to have professional development on ICT 
skills.

Six teachers out of ten have 
not received any training 
on how to use ICT in the 
classroom

Initial  teacher  education  should  place  a 
strong emphasis on digital-supported teach-
ing methods (digital pedagogies). A joint EC-
OECD survey shows that six teachers out of 
ten have not received any training on how to 
use ICT in the classroom. An urgent empha-
sis on digital pedagogic competences is also 
needed during continuing professional devel-
opment  to  keep  teachers  updated.  Address-
ing this challenge is at the heart of interests 
of  several  stakeholders  who,  in  the  context 
of the Grand Coalition for Digital Jobs, have 
already pledged to develop European MOOCs 
to train teachers in specific skills so as to con-
tribute to boost their digital skills. 

Among others, the Commission will build fur-
ther  on  the  European  Schoolnet15  Academy 
to develop and deliver large scale online pro-
fessional  development  courses  for  teachers 
in specific areas such as maths, science and 
technology as well as will support a network 
of organisations involved in pre- and in-ser-
vice training for teachers. 

14  BG, EE, IE, PT, SK, SI, SE

15  Network of 30 European Ministries of Education dedicated to the innovative use of educational technology

16  http://www.etwinning.net/

17  http://www.scientix.eu

18  Open Discovery Space (www.opendiscoveryspace.eu) provides communities of practice round use of OER

…to connect through strong 
communities of practice…

The  use  of  educational  content  and  OER  is 
constrained  by  the  difficulty  in  finding  ad-
equate  resources  for  each  user’s  specific 
needs: teachers tend to mainly use resources 
that  have  been  recommended  by  other  col-
leagues.  Communities  of  practitioners  at  EU 
level  have  proven  to  be  solid  solutions  for 
exchanging good practices and for peer sup-
port,  as  shown  by  the  massive  engagement 
of teachers in the e-Twinning16 platform, with 
more than 200.000 registered users, in SCI-
ENTIX,  the  community  for  science  education 
in  Europe17,  and  in  Open  Discovery  Space18. 
In  order  to  ensure  that  large  communities 
of  practice  benefit  from  professional  devel-
opment  through  online  resources  and  peer 
learning,  the  Commission  will  explore  ways 
to leverage the existing networks and create 
new  ones  including  the  future  EPALE  (Elec-
tronic Platform for Adult Learning in Europe). 
Attention will also be devoted to explore the 
potential  of  collaborative  work  in  teaching 
and  learning  in  higher  education,  currently 
less developed than in research.

…and be rewarded for new 
teaching methods.

Teachers are influenced by the way their per-
formance  is  evaluated.  While  performance 
measurement  differs  between  countries  and 
educational sectors, it rarely includes param-
eters associated with open pedagogical prac-
tices.  Member  States,  regional  authorities 
and  education  and  training  institutions  need 
to revisit performance evaluation schemes to 
create the right stimulus for teachers to intro-
duce and embed innovative teaching.

15

Communities of practitioners 
at EU level have proven 
to be solid solutions for 
exchanging good practices 
and for peer support

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1.3 Innovation for learners

Learners expect to acquire the digital skills for the 21st century…

Individuals must acquire new skills for a digital world19. Although digital compe-
tences are essential for employment, today’s young people lack the ability to use 
them creatively and critically. Being born in a digital era is not a sufficient condition 
for being digitally competent. 

Studies show that, on 
average, only 30% of 
students in the EU can 
be considered as digitally 
competent

Studies show that, on average, only 30% of 
students in the EU can be considered as dig-
itally  competent;  and  still  28%  of  students 
in  the  EU  have  practically  no  access  to  ICT, 
neither  at  school  or  at  home.  Only  around 
half of initial VET students in Europe attend 
classes where teachers use ICT in more than 
25% of the lessons. Furthermore, the low or 
non-existent digital skills of many adults hin-
der their productivity and innovation capacity 
at the workplace and limit their participation 
in society20.

Through the Grand Coalition for Digital Jobs, 
the  Commission  is  already  working  in  part-
nership  with  industry  to  promote  the  nec-
essary  skills  for  ICT  practitioners.  However, 
more individuals need to acquire better dig-
ital skills and become accustomed to actively 
using  technology  to  increase  their  job  pros-
pects. It is essential to reinforce digital skills 
through  informal  and  non-formal  learning 
and through new school curricula, where cod-
ing for example is becoming commonly used.  
Special attention is also needed to disadvan-
taged groups such as learners at risk of low 
achievement  in  e.g.  science  &  technology  or 
with learning difficulties.

19  Digital competence is one of the 8 key competences for lifelong learning (Recommendation 2006/962/EC)

20  48% of Europeans aged 16-74 have low or no ICT skills.

21  Council Recommendation (2012/C 398/01)

22  COM (2012)669

17

…and have their digitally-
acquired skills easily certified 
and recognised for further 
learning or work.

Learners  expect their skills  to  be  recognised 
by potential employers or for further learning 
and seek out education and training providers 
who can award relevant qualifications.

Assessing  and  certifying  learners’  achieve-
ments are challenges facing those who pro-
vide  online  education:  it  implies  integrating 
online learning practices into formal curricula 
and finding ways to validate technology-sup-
ported  learning  in  non-formal  and  informal 
settings.  Some  providers  have  started  to 
offer  ‘open  badges’  certifying  that  a  learner 
has completed a given course or acquired a 
certain skill. However, these are not yet rec-
ognised by qualifications authorities and are 
often unknown in the labour market.

Validation  and  recognition  instruments  used 
in formal education must adapt to the emer-
gence of a much more diversified educational 
offer,  including  new  education  providers  and 
the new forms of learning made possible by 
technology.  In  parallel,  new  tools  may  need 
to  be  created  both  to  ensure  that  technolo-
gy-supported  learning  taking  place  outside 
formal  education  is  validated  and  to  en-
courage  learners  to  become  more  engaged 
in  open  practices.  These  new  tools  should 
respect  the  principles  set  out  in  the  Coun-
cil  Recommendation  for  the  Validation  of 
Non-formal  and  Informal  Learning21  in  syn-
ergy with established validation and recogni-
tion tools and contribute to the creation of a 
European Area for Skills and Qualifications22, 
the latter aiming to address the diversity of 
practices across Member States and promote 
an effective recognition across borders.

It implies integrating 
online learning practices 
into formal curricula and 
finding ways to validate 
technology-supported 
learning in non-formal and 
informal settings

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Key Transformative Actions in this Area
Through the new programmes Erasmus+ and Horizon 2020, the 
Commission will:

  Support educational institutions in developing new business and educational models and 
launch large-scale research and policy experimentations to test innovative pedagogical 
approaches, curriculum development and skills assessment;

  Support teachers’ professional development through open online courses, following 

pledges made under the Grand Coalition for Digital Jobs23, and by creating new and scaling 
up existing European platforms for teachers’ communities of practice (e.g.: eTwinning, EP-
ALE) to establish collaborative peer-based teaching practices across the EU;

  Explore and test, in cooperation with stakeholders and Member States, digital competence 

frameworks and self-assessment tools for learners, teachers and organisations;

  Explore how established and emerging tools for the validation and recognition of skills, 

such as ‘open badges’, can be tailored to the needs of learners.

  Coordinate, facilitate exchange of experiences and results achieved in national programmes 

between MS and provide targeted policy guidance to clusters of MS to help them to 
identify successful measures for meeting their challenges in view of the country specific 
recommendations (CSRs) under the European Semester /Europe 2020

23  http://ec.europa.eu/digital-agenda/en/grand-coalition-digital-jobs-0 

Member States and education institutions should:

  Support innovative teaching and learning environments, including through the use of 

structural and investment funds (ESIFs);

  Ensure that transparency and recognition instruments for formal education are adapted 
to new forms of learning including validation of skills acquired online, in line with national 
tools in the context of the Council Recommendation for Validation of non-Formal and Infor-
mal Learning,

  Support teachers in acquiring a high level of digital competences and adopt innovative 

teaching practices through flexible training, incentive schemes, revised curricula for teach-
ers’ initial education and new professional evaluation mechanisms;

  Reinforce digital skills in education and training institutions, including among disadvan-
taged groups, and revisit learners assessments in order to ensure that all skills acquired 
through digital learning can be recognised.

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21

2

Open Educational Resources: 
opportunities to use open knowledge for better 
quality and access

22

23

Combined with 
traditional 
educational 
resources, OERs 
allow for blended 
forms of face-to-
face and online 
learning

Knowledge is open when it is provided through tools accessible to all citizens. OERs 
are important for stimulating innovative learning environments where content can 
be adapted by users according to their needs. Stimulating supply and demand for 
high-quality European OERs is essential for modernising education. Combined with 
traditional educational resources, OERs allow for blended forms of face-to-face 
and online learning. They also have the potential to reduce the costs of educa-
tional materials for students and their families as well as for public budgets when 
these cover the costs of educational materials.

Based on the initial experience of the e-Learning 
Portal and building on the strong involvement 
of  stakeholders,  the  Commission  will  launch, 
with  Erasmus+  funding,  a  single  gateway  for 
OERs  produced  in  Europe,  federating  existing 
platforms with advanced browsing and search 
features to help users find the appropriate con-
tent. In terms of quality assessment of content, 
the potential of peer and crowd assessment25 
will be explored next to other approaches to in-
crease the visibility of high-quality OERs, and to 
develop quality frameworks for OER and map-
ping with curricula.

High-quality European OER must 
become more visible and acces-
sible to all citizens…

In  the  past  decade,  the  supply  of  OERs  in 
the world has grown exponentially. However, 
while  there  is  an  increasing  variety  of  sub-
jects, OERs are generally produced in a limit-
ed number of languages (mostly English), and 
used by specific education sectors (especially 
higher education) and specific disciplines (e.g. 
ICT).  The  use  of  OERs  in  Europe  is  still  too 
fragmented and not sustained24.

Efforts need to be stepped up to ensure that 
European  content  is  visible  and  widely  ac-
cessible  as  well  as  that  users,  learners  and 
teachers are capable of finding resources and 
are  assured  of  their  high  quality.  For  many 
teachers  the  lack  of  cataloguing,  selection 
and availability of adequate quality resources is 
an important obstacle to the wider use of OER.

24  See outcomes public consultation in the accompanying Staff Working Document

25  Crowd rating refers to ratings being attributed to available resources by their users (crowd). 

24

25

Allow publicly funded 
educational materials to be 
freely available for all those 
wishing to use them for 
learning or teaching

European education and training institutions, 
teachers and learners should also be encour-
aged to share their own educational materi-
als freely with peers through the use of open 
licenses26.  In  line  with  the  Paris  Declaration 
of  the  United  Nations  Educational  Scientif-
ic  and  Cultural  Organization  (UNESCO)27,  a 
common  European  approach  should  allow 
publicly  funded  educational  materials  to  be 
freely  available  for  all  those  wishing  to  use 
them  for  learning  or  teaching.  Furthermore, 
technical  tools  such  as  Open  Quality  Stan-
dards should help OER producers to raise the 

visibility  of  the  quality  of  the  creation  pro-
cess  and  the  resource  itself.  Moreover,  cur-
rently the value added tax (VAT) rate applied 
to  digital  (educational)  textbooks  is,  in  most 
countries, higher than the VAT rate applied to 
physical  (educational)  textbooks.  A  range  of 
stakeholders  urge  to  address  this  difference 
in  rates  in  order  to  enhance  the  uptake  of  
digital  resources.  The  Commission  has  an 
on-going  process  and  will  come  before  the 
end  of  2013  with  the  follow-up  to  the  VAT 
action plan. Moreover, the 2013 European Se-
mester recommendations also highlight that 
the  inefficiency  that  is  built  into  the  design 
of  some  national  tax  systems  (for  example 
some  reduced  rates  and  other  tax  exemp-
tions) needs to be tackled.

Finally,  stakeholders  involved  in  the  provi-
sion of ‘traditional’ educational materials can 
also help to make high-quality digital content 
more  available:  textbook  authors,  publish-
ers  and  booksellers  can  contribute  to  joint 
collaborative  efforts  to  find  new  innovative 
technical solutions ensuring that high-quality 
resources  are  available  to  all.  The  comple-
mentarity of traditionally published resources 
and  OERs,  as  well  as  freedom  of  choice  for 
teachers  and  educators,  should  remain  key 
guiding principles.

…and the rights and obligations 
of users of educational 
materials under copyright 
should be more transparent 
across borders.

The  absence  of  clear  information  on  autho-
rised  uses  for  a  specific  online  learning  ma-
terial  (e.g.  text,  images  and  videos)  deters 
users28. Similarly, it is difficult for authors of 
new  content  to  define  the  usage  rights  and/
or  limitations  they  wish  to  associate  with  a 
certain  resource.  Promoting  open  licences 
among  both  communities  of  teachers  and 
policy makers, as well as developing of tech-
nical  tools  to  integrate  metadata29  in  each 
resource  available  on  the  web,  will  increase 
transparency.

The  EU  copyright  framework30  includes  ex-
ceptions for the use of material for teaching 
purposes. The implementation of these excep-
tions varies across Member States. Given the 
cross-border potential of innovative practices 
in using educational content, it is important to 
assess whether the current legal framework 
ensures  in  practice  sufficient  transparency 
and  legal  certainty  for  users.  The  Commis-
sion is currently carrying out a review of the 
EU copyright framework as announced in its 
Communication  of  18  December  2012  on 
Content in the Digital Single Market.

Promoting open licences 
among both communities of 
teachers and policy makers, 
as well as developing of 
technical tools to integrate 
metadata in each resource 
available on the web, will 
increase transparency

26  As defined by OECD: “Open licensing provides a way of controlled sharing with some rights reserved to the author. 

Open licenses have the benefit of introducing certainty and clarity into the process of obtaining permission to use the 
work of others”. http://www.oecd.org/edu/ceri/37351085.pdf 

28  See public consultation: 84 % of respondents indicate the lack of a clear legal framework in this respect.

29  Specific data on each resource allowing for automated classification of its content or its characteristics.

27  http://www.unesco.org/new/en/communication-and-information/access-to-knowledge/open-educational-resources/     

30  Directive 2001/29/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 22 May 2001 on the harmonization of certain 

what-is-the-paris-oer-declaration/

aspects of copyright and related rights in the information society.

26

27

Member States and education 
institutions should:

  Stimulate open access policies for pub-
licly-funded educational materials;

  Encourage formal education and training 
institutions to include digital content, 
including OERs, among the recommend-
ed educational materials for learners 
at all educational levels and encourage 
the production, including through public 
procurement, of high-quality educational 
materials whose copyrights would belong 
to public authorities.

Key Transformative Actions in this Area
The Commission will:

  Ensure that all educational materials 
supported by Erasmus+ are available 
to the public under open licenses and 
promote similar practices under EU pro-
grammes; 

  Use the new programmes Erasmus+ and 
Horizon 2020 to encourage partnerships 
between creators of educational content 
(e.g. teachers, publishers, ICT companies), 
to increase the supply of quality OER 
and other digital educational materials 
in different languages, to develop new 
business models and to develop technical 
solutions which provide transparent infor-
mation on copyrights and open licenses to 
users of digital educational resources;

  Launch with this Communication the 

Open Education Europa portal linking it 
to existing OER repositories in different 
languages and bringing learners, teachers 
and researchers together, so to improve 
the attractiveness and visibility of quality 
OERs produced in the EU. 

28

29

3

Connectivity and Innovation:
partnerships for infrastructures, new products and 
services, and interoperability

30

31

The lack of hardware devices or the low penetration of broadband impedes the 
optimal use of technology, impairs the potential to use OER and educational soft-
ware  and  compromises  the  ‘Bring  Your  Own  Device’  principle31.  In  many  places 
broadband exists at institutional level but not at classroom or device level, and 
different devices with different technical specifications (e.g. different software or 
brands) are currently not providing equal access to educational resources.

Enhancing local ICT 
infrastructure (broadband, 
content, tools) is still needed in 
some parts of Europe…

Regional disparities also persist: only 45-46% 
of  students  who  use  the  Internet  in  Greece 
and Croatia can access it at a place of educa-
tion, as opposed to more than 90% in Latvia, 
Lithuania and the Czech Republic33.

Investment  in  infrastructures  should  be  fos-
tered in those regions lagging behind the rest 
of  Europe.  Structural  and  Investment  funds 
should be channelled towards education and 
training34 to enhance local ICT infrastructures 
and  joint  procurement  for  innovation  of  dif-
ferent  contracting  authorities.  This  would 
produce  economies  of  scale,  lower  prices, 
administrative cost savings and a pooling of 
different skills and expertise.

The  level  of  infrastructures  should  no  lon-
ger be a factor impeding innovative ways of 
teaching  and  learning.  Nor  should  differenc-
es  in  availability  be  a  cause  for  inequalities 
between citizens or different geographical ar-
eas. The infrastructure divide not only creates 
equity  problems  among  learners  but  also 
erodes  the  potential  gains  from  a  greater 
participation by citizens in the economy.

Member  States  are  investing  in  upgrading 
their national educational infrastructure (ICT, 
digital educational resources, broadband) but 
fragmentation  and  incoherence  among  EU 
Member  States  persists.  On  average,  93%32 
of EU students access the internet at home, 
but only 72% have access to it at a place of 
education,  sometimes  not  in  the  classroom. 

31  According to which learners are expected to use their own computers or mobile devices to access educational 

materials in the classroom.

32  Eurostat, 2011 data.

33  http://epp.eurostat.ec.europa.eu/tgm/mapToolClosed.

do?tab=map&init=1&plugin=1&language=en&pcode=tin00081&toolbox=types

34  http://www.education.ie/en/Press-Events/Conferences/Ireland-s-Presidency-of-the-EU/Conference-21-22-May-2013/

Channelling-cohesion-policy-funds-towards-education-and-training.pdf

On average, 93% of 
EU students access 
the internet at home, 
but only 72% have 
access to it at a place 
of education

32

33

…and open interoperability 
standards are necessary to 
ensure economies of scale…

Learners  using  different  devices,  including 
different  hardware  and  software  configura-
tions, should not be prevented from using the 
same  educational  resources.  Neither  should 
producers of digital content see their chosen 
format  limit  the  potential  number  of  users 
of  their  resources.  Interoperability  and  por-
tability  standards  for  educational  resources 
have  to  be  defined  and  ensured  across  de-
vices, platforms and brands to provide a level 
playing field for all market players. Standards 
should  also  ensure  that  resources  could  be 
used across different platforms thus enhanc-
ing  their  effectiveness.  Furthermore,  such 
standards must remain open to avoid market 
dominance  by  any  single  company  owning 
standards and able to shape the market ac-
cording to its individual goals.

…so that European digital apps 
and digital contents markets 
can grow.

While  worldwide  investment  in  broadband 
and  entrepreneurship  is  creating  important 
business  opportunities,  the  business  poten-
tial  for  educational  software  and  content  in 
Europe  remains  largely  untapped.  Devel-
opments  in  cloud  technologies  and  gam-
ing,  personalisation  of  learning  and  mobile 
devices  will  drive  growth  in  the  educational 
technology  market.  Encouraging  growth  and 
innovation-based entrepreneurship for a new 
educational  ecosystem  as  well  as  mecha-
nisms to scale solutions appropriately across 
education and training sectors is imperative if 
European companies are to be internationally 
competitive and create jobs.

Learners using different 
devices, including different 
hardware and software 
configurations, should not 
be prevented from using the 
same educational resources

Key Transformative Actions in this Area

Through the new programmes Erasmus+ and Horizon 2020, the 
Commission will:
  Promote the development of open frameworks and standards for interoperability and 

portability of digital educational content, applications and services, including OER, in cooper-
ation with European standardization organisations and programmes, and develop compo-
nents for an efficient educational technologies market place including the coordination of 
joint specifications for public procurement of innovative solutions to help the deployment of 
affordable devices, software and content;

	Promote research and innovation on adaptive learning technologies, learning analytics and 

digital games for learning, creating links with innovative entrepreneurs.

Member States and education institutions should:
	Connect every school, ideally including connectivity to individual classrooms, to broadband, 
upgrade their ICT equipment, and develop accessible, open national digital learning reposi-
tories using structural and investment funds by 2020.

34

35

4

A concerted effort to seize the 
opportunities of the digital revolution

36

37

We need an integrated approach…

Developments in the use of ICT and digital content have varied in the Member 
States.  Many  have  recognized  the  potential  impact  of  technology  on  education 
and  many  e-learning  initiatives  have  been  launched.  However,  initiatives  have 
been fragmented and isolated; investments in infrastructure were often not ac-
companied  by  efforts  to  increase  the  capacity  and  motivation  of  teachers  and 
learners to use it. For this reason, despite the large investments made, projects 
have rarely succeeded in moving from a pilot phase into mainstreaming. 

Large  scale  demonstrations  and  experimen-
tations, engaging pupils with exciting learning 
opportunities inside and outside schools and 
involving  all  stakeholders,  including  regional 
and  local  actors,  should  contribute  to  build-
ing  bridges  between  the  education  and  the 
workplace,  to  produce  for  more  flexible  and 
effective mechanisms for integrating working 
and learning experiences.

Past  lessons  show  that  merely  introducing 
technology  into  classrooms  is  not  enough. 
Only  an  integrated  approach,  where  access 
to digital content, ICT infrastructure, the right 
level of digital skills, and the right organisa-
tional strategies are secured, can generate an 
educational offer able to sustain innovation.

…a concerted effort by all actors …

Triggering  large-scale  sustainable  changes  re-
quires  shared  efforts  and  focused  actions,  in-
volving and engaging all stakeholders, learners, 
teachers, families, school managers, education-
al policy makers and the local communities.

Involving and engaging 
all stakeholders, 
learners, teachers, 
families, school 
managers, educational 
policy makers and the 
local communities

Only an integrated approach, 
where access to digital content, 
ICT infrastructure, the right 
level of digital skills, and the 
right organisational strategies 
are secured, can generate 
an educational offer able to 
sustain innovation

Key Transformative Actions in this Area

Through the new programmes Erasmus+ and Horizon 2020, the 
Commission will:
  Launch a platform open to all stakeholders (teachers, learners, families, digital commu-
nities, economic and social partners, etc.) to record and benchmark the digital state of 
educational institutions;

	Establish a European Hub of Digitally Innovative Education institutions, showcasing and 
piloting innovative ICT-based pedagogical and organizational practices, complemented by a 
specific European Award of Digital Excellence.

Member States and education institutions should:
	Promote networks of volunteer teachers, digital communities and ICT experts in 

launching initiatives (such as coding courses or back-to-school programmes) and establish 
teachers’ awards for the good pedagogical use of ICT for all educational sectors.

 
38

39

…and a better understanding of 
all opportunities that the digital 
revolution is yet to unfold.

Member  States  and  other  stakeholders  are 
invited to work actively with the Commission 
to  implement,  in  a  systemic  way  and  with 
vigour, the priorities proposed in this Agenda 
as part of their national education and training 
reforms. The Commission will follow the prog-
ress  made  at  national  level  on  the  key  chal-
lenges identified in this Communication via the 
annual Education and Training Monitor.

This Agenda is not an end but a starting point. 
In  the  longer  term,  technological  change 
will  radically  affect  education  and  research 
in  ways  that  are  difficult  as  yet  to  predict. 
Sustained  effort  and  on-going  international 
cooperation is required to improve our knowl-
edge-base and take full advantage of the im-
pact of technology on education. 

By the end of 2013, the Commission will pres-
ent studies on innovation in Higher Education, 
on  the  changing  pedagogical  landscape  in 
Higher Education due to new modes of teach-
ing  and  learning,  and  on  the  use  of  ICT  and 
OER  in  adult  learning.  Furthermore,  it  will 
continue to work and cooperate with national 
regional and local authorities, social partners, 
business, students, new educational providers 
and other international organisations such as 
UNESCO,  the  International  Council  for  Open 
and Distance Education (ICDE) and the OECD, 
to better understand the implications of tech-
nology in the education world while harness-
ing the potential of these changes it brings.

This Agenda is not an 
end but a starting point

40

41

European Commission support for better knowledge and 
stronger evidence-based policies

The Commission will:
  Carry out a comprehensive exercise of foresight scenarios for education in Europe 2030, 
in consultation with relevant actors such as ERT, EADTU, LERU, EUA and European Schoolnet 
on the basis of the work carried out by JRC-IPTS35 and in line with the on-going FUTURIUM36 
project. As regards higher education, the Commission will also pursue work with the High 
Level Group for Modernisation of Higher Education to establish recommendations on the 
new modes of learning.

  Develop measuring tools and indicators to monitor more closely the integration of ICT in 

teaching and training institutions, and support Europe-wide quantitative surveys.

  Launch an impact assessment on the economic and social impact of an EU initiative to 

stimulate open access to educational materials produced with public funds.

  Exploring ways with rightholders, teaching institutions and other educational stakeholders to 
understand and assess the current practices and needs of sharing educational materials 
(including open educational resources), including those resulting from copyright and licensing 
regimes, multilingualism, quality assurance, etc. both in national and cross-border contexts.

35  http://ipts.jrc.ec.europa.eu/pages/EAP/eLearning.html

36  http://ec.europa.eu/digital-agenda/futurium/

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43

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