The OpenCourseWare Consortium’s fifth annual conference will take place in Hanoi, Vietnam from 5-7 May, 2010. This conference will bring together educators, administrators, policy makers and other interested participants to examine the capacity of OpenCourseWare to effect large-scale educational improvement worldwide.  The conference will focus on the uses and potential uses of OpenCourseWare around the world.

The conference will be organized into three main subthemes:

Building OpenCourseWare 
This subtheme will explore the creation of OpenCourseWare infrastructure and projects.  Presentations in this track could discuss technology, intellectual property issues, gaining the support of institutions and individuals, staffing OCW projects, and other topics relevant to starting or enhancing OpenCourseWare projects.

Using OpenCourseWare as a platform
Once OpenCourseWare infrastructure has been created, institutions and agencies are using it to achieve goals across the education sector.  Current and potential uses of OpenCourseWare include improving instructional quality, public-private partnerships, OCW for public education needs, renewal of skills for the 21^st century workforce, etc. 

Sustaining OpenCourseWare
In order to realize the transformational potential of OpenCourseWare, its future must be secured through its integration into educational plans.  This track will allow participants to discuss strategies for long-term sustainability of OCW projects, including funding, revenue, insuring support by institutional decision makers, and integration into policy, as well as looking at innovations that improve discoverability and usefulness to OCW users, technology developments, and interoperability of projects.

The conference has an interesting programme and is always a great opportunity to meet members of the OCW Consortium. I will be there with my colleague and OCWC Boardmember Anka Mulder.