Open Educational Resources (OER) Grant Program Informational Session – Western Michigan University

Report on the WMU Libraries Open Education Grants Program and its Alignment with Sustainable Development Goals

Program Overview and Objectives

An informational session has been announced to provide an overview of the Western Michigan University (WMU) Libraries Open Education Grants program. This initiative is designed to advance the use of Open Educational Resources (OER) and directly supports several key United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The program offers two distinct grant opportunities:

• Grants for the adoption of existing Open Educational Resources.
• Grants for the creation of new Open Educational Resources.

Alignment with SDG 4: Quality Education

The grants program is fundamentally aligned with SDG 4, which aims to ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all. By supporting OER, the program contributes to this goal in several ways:

• Target 4.3 (Equal Access to Affordable Education): OER eliminates the cost of textbooks, reducing financial barriers and ensuring more equitable access to tertiary education for all students.
• Target 4.7 (Education for Sustainable Development): The creation of new OER allows educators to develop and share materials that explicitly incorporate principles of sustainable development and global citizenship.
• Promoting Inclusivity: The program fosters an educational environment where resources are accessible to every student, regardless of their economic background.

Contribution to Broader Sustainable Development Goals

Beyond SDG 4, the initiative also supports other interconnected goals:

1. SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities): By removing a significant educational expense, the program helps to reduce economic inequalities among students, ensuring that financial standing does not impede academic success.
2. SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals): The grant program itself represents a partnership between the university library and its faculty to achieve shared educational objectives. The broader OER movement fosters global partnerships for knowledge sharing and sustainable development.

Application and Procedural Information

The informational session will provide prospective applicants with comprehensive details regarding the program. Key topics to be covered include:

• Specific requirements for both adoption and creation grants.
• A step-by-step overview of the application process.
• A question-and-answer period for interested parties.

The submission deadline for all grant applications is November 21, 2025.

Analysis of Sustainable Development Goals in the Article

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

• SDG 4: Quality Education

  The article is centered on the promotion of Open Education Resources (OER) through a grants program at WMU Libraries. OER are teaching, learning, and research materials that are free of cost and access barriers. By supporting the adoption and creation of OER, the program directly contributes to making education more accessible, equitable, and inclusive, which is the core mission of SDG 4.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

• Target 4.3: By 2030, ensure equal access for all women and men to affordable and quality technical, vocational and tertiary education, including university.

  The grants program described in the article is hosted by a university library and is aimed at university-level education. By funding the creation and adoption of OER, the program helps reduce the financial burden on students, particularly the high cost of textbooks and course materials. This makes tertiary education more affordable and accessible, directly aligning with the objective of Target 4.3.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

• Implied Program-Level Indicators

  While the article does not mention official SDG indicators, it implies specific metrics that can be used to measure the progress and success of the grants program. The text explicitly states, “Grants are being offered both for adoption of existing OER, and creation of new OER.” This suggests that the program’s outcomes can be measured by tracking:

  1. The number of grants awarded for the adoption of existing OER.
  2. The number of grants awarded for the creation of new OER.

  These metrics serve as direct indicators of the effort to expand the availability and use of free, quality educational materials within the university, contributing to the broader goal of affordable and accessible tertiary education.

Summary Table: SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Source: wmich.edu