Katalin Monzéger works as an educational methodology advisor at the Center for Educational Development, Methodology and Organization at Semmelweis University, Budapest. She advises teachers about using digital tools, and participates in preparing handbooks, educational newsletters and student surveys. She graduated in law (ELTE), then completed a degree in digital education.
Universities usually share the objective of having a high reputation for many reasons. First, this reputation helps to attract and maintain students who often choose between institutions based on the public image of the university. Second, this brand also attracts funding from the government and private entities, ensuring proper functioning and further development. A solid reputation affects not only teaching, but also research and any other services that the institution offers to the public.
Creating and maintaining a positive public image means that universities have to work on it continuously and carefully. There are often separate departments (named Branding, Marketing or Communication) with professionals who handle day-to-day activities like curating news and interviews, updating social media profiles or organizing offline events. However, every employee (teacher, researcher, doctor or administrator) contributes to the reputation of the institution when interacting with people outside the university, in small and big ways (like communicating with a restaurant about a work dinner or giving an interview on TV).
Creating Open Education Resources (OERs) is one of the many ways to further expand visibility and direct more attention to the university. These teaching, learning and research materials are made available freely so that others could learn from them or use them for teaching. Among the examples we can find online courses (MIT – OpenCourseWare), digital textbooks and instructional videos.
Naturally, sharing OERs is not just about contributing to the reputation of the institution. By creating these resources universities can show their dedication to more equity in education, lifelong learning and distributing proven information about various topics. In fact, it is directly connected to one of the Sustainable Development Goals of UNESCO (Quality Education) and to the Third Mission of universities: the transfer of academic knowledge to society.
Regarding the reputation of the institution, OERs can attract further students who can take part in a course or lecture before enrolling. These students don’t only include fresh high school graduates but those who already work and are looking for additional qualifications. Furthermore, OERs offer publicity for the teachers and researchers who developed the materials, enhancing their careers and connecting them with educators from other institutions. In addition, the promotion of OERs makes the university appear in the media several times, and increases its visibility among the population.
Curating and publicizing OERs is a complex activity that needs collaboration between different departments of the university: it requires training for teachers, thoughtful communication strategies, and periodic revisions. However, taking into account these factors, universities can use OERs to contribute not just to their reputation, but also to accessible and inclusive education.
