Kwantlen Polytechnic University expert Rajiv Jhangiani has presented at the United Nations on how open educational practices can support sustainable development.
The psychology instructor and special advisor to the provost on open education is an international leader in the field and the driving force behind KPU’s Zed Cred program. At the OpenCon event in New York, he discussed how open educational practices may be used to support the UN’s sustainable development goals.
“This event will go a long way to raising awareness of the power of open access, open data, and open education among policy makers around the world,” says Jhangiani. “On a personal note, the invitation to share my expertise at UN Headquarters is a massive professional highlight and, I think, also an acknowledgement of the international leadership that KPU has shown within the open education movement.”
Jhangiani was approached for this opportunity by SPARC, the Scholarly Publishing and Academic Resources Coalition. SPARC is organizing the event for the UN.
“I look forward to connecting with like-minded colleagues working to support open access, open data, and open education around the world, having conversations with policy makers about the institutional and governmental support that is required for open education to fulfill its potential, and leaving the event with concrete commitments to move from the discussions to tangible collaborative action,” says Jhangiani.
KPU has over 200 courses that can be taken without textbook costs. Jhangiani estimates the Zed Cred programs at the university will save students over $1 million in textbook costs this fall.
OpenCon 2018 coincides with International Open Access week. This year’s theme is designing equitable foundations for open knowledge.
For more information about KPU’s Zed Cred and Open Education, visit http://www.kpu.ca/open.