ABSTRACT
Brazil has made significant strides in advancing open education policies in recent years. One of the most significant developments was the adoption of an open license policy for the Open University of Brazil (UAB), a consortium of over 100 public higher education institutions. We report on a survey conducted with a large sample of participants from these institutions. The research was developed as part of an ongoing review on OER projects and policies (both national and internationally). The survey data identified the need for increased awareness and understanding of the meaning of openness and what effectively constitutes an OER. These data also indicate categories related to institutional encouragement for OER production as well as significant interest in the implementation of policies to advance openness; however, progress on actual policy implementation has been quite limited. The authors of this chapter argue that although open education is often seen as “incipient” in Latin America, significant developments are now actually taking place. Such developments could offer an opportunity to reflect on the local conditions and levers to advance policy design and implementation.
