The Open Government Partnership (OGP) is a multilateral initiative through which national governments make commitments to being more open, accountable and responsive to citizens. As Open Education has gained visibility and momentum as an issue in the international community, an increasing number of governments have been exploring how this issue can fit into their OGP plans and other open government initiatives — from open licensing of publicly-funded educational materials, to transparency in education funding, to leveraging open technologies and practices to increase the efficiency and efficacy of instruction. This is especially relevant now that education features prominently in the United Nations 2030 Sustainable Development Goals. To date, at least three countries — the United States, Slovakia and Spain — have included Open Education in their OGP national action plans, which has resulted in important steps by all three governments to promote openness in education. OGP offers an important avenue for advocates in other countries to advance Open Education issues.
This action lab will empower advocates to advance Open Education through OGP or other open government initiatives in their countries, whether they are situated within government, an educational institution or within civil society. Participants will walk away with a basic understanding of OGP processes, the different types of commitments governments are making on Open Education, an understanding of how Open Education fits into the Open Government movement, and how members of civil society and government alike can get involved. The session is also part of an ongoing informal working group that was formed coming out of the 2015 OGP Summit in Mexico City, so participants will also have a chance to join and connect with others beyond the conference.
