This Staff Working Document accompanies the new European initiative on 'Opening up Education'. It outlines the scope, size and complexity of the challenges that lie ahead, in order to modernize and open up education through new technologies and Open Educational Resources (OER). The document provides the necessary evidence and background analysis on the use of new technologies and OER in education and training across Europe. It is based on in-depth country analysis for all EU Member States, expert reports and an extensive literature review on the state of play for new technologies and open educational resources in education and training.

What is the state of play in Europe? New technologies and OER can have an extraordinary effect on improving the efficiency, accessibility and equity of education, training and learning. Learning and teaching can become more focused on the learner supporting the individual learning pathways, enhancing collaboration online and blending formal and informal education. Personalisation, collaboration and links between formal and informal learning enhanced by technologies will be at the core of future learning and push educational institutions towards opening education and institutional transformation.