Open approaches have the potential to enhance research, learning, and knowledge exchange on a global scale. Examples in higher education and research now go beyond open source software, open access to research, and open educational resources, to initiatives with open infrastructure and open processes (such as open systems and open peer review). Open developments are gaining momentum from both bottom-up movements and top-down forces. Despite similar goals and evident connections, the various open approaches are typically pursued by separate communities, with relatively few efforts to think and work holistically, and potential benefits are not being realized.

This session will review the range and state of open activities in the higher education arena, explore common factors for the different open domains, and define potential benefits for individuals and institutions of adopting a more integrated approach to policy and practice. It will conclude by discussing the opportunities and challenges presented by the open agenda for key stakeholder groups (including students, faculty, administrators, and information specialists), encouraging participants to share ideas about the roles they could play and practical steps they might take to promote and advance openness.