Welcomes the Commission communication which sets out a Union agenda in the field of OERs, and which focuses on the potential of these resources to widen access to and equity in education and further diversify it, and acknowledges the relevance of OERs in an increasingly digital society; believes that the emergence of a European framework for the development of OERs may allow for improvement in the Member States’ education systems;

Notes that, in order to realise the benefits of OERs, actions leading to universal digital education should be supported, with a focus on good practices and their promotion in various environments;

Emphasises that OERs create opportunities for both individuals, such as teachers, students, pupils and learners of all ages, and educational and training institutions to teach and learn in innovative ways; calls on educational institutions to further assess the potential benefits of OERs in the respective educational systems and in view of possibly creating an organisational environment in which such innovation is welcomed, internalised, applied and promoted; calls, in this connection, on the Member States and regions, as part of smart specialisation strategies, to establish innovation and start-up centres of excellence which make full use of the potential of ICT;