Open Educational Practices as Digital Public Goods: Promoting Resilience, Equity and Innovation in Higher Education Ecosystems

Abstract

Open Education (OE) plays a crucial role in advancing the United Nations’ vision for Digital Public Goods by fostering equitable, inclusive, and resilient higher education systems. While the global policy discourse often centres on Open Educational Resources (OER), OE encompasses a wider spectrum of Open Educational Practices (OEP) that include co-creation, inclusive pedagogies, care-centred teaching, and accessible learning design. These practices cultivate communities of open practice and promote systemic transformation in education through collaboration and innovation. This paper addresses policy-makers, institutional leaders, and educators seeking to better understand and support OEP within broader digital and open education agendas. It argues that to maximise OE’s impact as a Digital Public Good, policies must move beyond an OER focus to engage with the full range of open practices emerging from grassroots and academic communities. Drawing on a thematic and integrative review of international frameworks—including UNESCO Recommendations and UN development agendas—we examine the conceptual evolution of OEP and its practical implementation across diverse contexts. By analysing existing policy frameworks and synthesising inclusive, ethics-informed models of openness, the paper contributes new insights into how OE governance can align more closely with the lived realities of educators and learners. In doing so, it offers evidence-based recommendations for rethinking OE policies to reflect the complexity, creativity, and transformative potential of OEP.