OER Dynamic Coalition Webinar: Harnessing OER to strengthen access to information
On the 29th of September, 2021, UNESCO held the OER Dynamic Coalition Webinar, which highlighted the importance of harnessing Open Educational Resources (OER) to strengthen access to information in the context of the International Day for Universal Access to Information (IDUAI) 2021 celebrations. The webinar explored perspectives on regulatory frameworks related to copyright for educational materials. In this respect, dr. Maja Bogataj Jančič, LL.M., LL.M. presented a study on Remote education during the pandemic – Teachers’ Perspective conducted in seven countries.
The webinar discussed the following key questions:
– How does the UNESCO OER Recommendation enhance international cooperation for universal access to information?
– What can be done to support the development and enhancement of the legal and regulatory framework on copyright and policies for OER development?
– What are examples of good practices, challenges and solutions where OER have supported the right to information and building of inclusive Knowledge Societies?
In addiion to dr. Maja Bogataj Jančič, LL.M., LL.M., the speakers were:
– Dirk Van Damme, Owner of DVD EduConsult, retired Head of CERI (OECD), underscored that the UNESCO OER Recommendation is an important and powerful tool for the international community and for international cooperation, and
– Carolina Botero, Executive Director of the Colombian civil society digital rights organization, Karisma Foundation, highlighted that the copyright provisions under the UNESCO Recommendation are important because they allow OER to be localised to better serve the needs of education.
The Internet Archive is a non-profit organization that maintains the Open Library, a digital library index, and is dedicated to preserving knowledge. As many of the works in the Internet Archive are under copyright, the Archive uses a system of controlled digital lending based on digital rights management to prevent unauthorized downloading or copying of copyrighted books. In March 2020, due to the circumstances surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic, the Internet Archive established the National Emergency Library, eliminating the waiting lists used in the Open Library and expanding access to books for all readers. In June 2020, the Emergency National Library faced a lawsuit from four book publishers and was ultimately closed.
The 43rd session of the WIPO Standing Committee on Copyright and Related Rights (hereinafter SCCR) made substantial progress on the issues advocated by the A2K Coalition (Access to Knowledge Coalition), which IPI is a member of. This year’s session was the most productive on the issues of exceptions and limitations. James Love (Knowledge Ecology International), a long-time observer at WIPO, described the outcome and the impact of the public interest community as the strongest since the conclusion of the Marrakech Treaty, which brought global copyright exceptions for the benefit of the blind and visually impaired.
Today, March 17, 2023, a symposium on law in the information society is taking place in the golden lecture hall of the Faculty of Law in Ljubljana. Dr. Maja Bogataj Jančič will present copyright aspects of artificial intelligence at the symposium.
The third day of the 43rd session of the WIPO Standing Committee on Copyright and Related Rights is intended for discussion on the topic of exceptions and limitations to copyright, especially in connection with the right to research.