1. Introduction
Open Educational Resources (OER), which are freely accessible and openly licensed educational materials, have rapidly evolved from a promising concept into a globally adopted practice, fundamentally transforming educational ecosystems by expanding access to knowledge. For instance, within the U.S. educational system during the 2023–2024 academic year, a study reported that more than half of faculty members (56%) were aware of OER, and 25% of all faculty reported using OER as a required material in their courses (Bay View Analytics 2024). This adoption trend reflects the promise of OER in improving educational access, affordability, and equity by removing cost barriers and enabling the sharing and adaptation of learning resources.
1.1. Pedagogical impact and adoption of OER across educational levels
The global integration of OER into diverse educational settings has significantly reshaped pedagogical strategies, enabling increased access, flexibility, and equity across disciplines. Research highlights that OER enhance learner engagement and outcomes by providing adaptable and cost-effective resources, particularly in undergraduate programs such as Biology (Ahmed et al. 2024) and Nursing (Metersky et al. 2024), where case-based OER can bridge the theory–practice gap in real time. In high school education, the frequent use of OER has been shown to improve students’ critical thinking and metacognitive abilities, fostering open thinking through indirect pathways (Yassin 2024). Similarly, Jung and Lee (2025) demonstrated that exposure to open educational practices (OEP) significantly promotes open thinking, with learner-centered design and technology acceptance serving as key mediating factors. In higher education, the institutional role of OER is also gaining traction. Vander Weerdt (2023) illustrates how OER can align with accreditation standards and improve both student learning outcomes and institutional impact under frameworks such as the 2020 Guidelines of the U.S. based Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB). At the macro level, Davis (2025) outlines the increasing involvement of libraries in the creation, promotion, and support of OER as a core component of academic service. Moreover, automated tools for aligning OER to new taxonomies via machine learning offer solutions for scalability and responsiveness to evolving curricular needs (Li, Pardos & Ren 2024). Beyond disciplinary applications, OER initiatives have been instrumental in sustainability education, especially in fields such as sustainable manufacturing (Roeder et al. 2017) and geosciences within UNESCO Global Geoparks (Martínez-Martín et al. 2024), where OER are used to engage learners across education levels and promote territorial identity and environmental awareness. Bibliometric studies confirm the accelerated growth and diversification of OER literature globally, yet emphasize persistent challenges related to repository design, content traceability, and quality control (Mishra et al. 2022). These converging insights reinforce the importance of embedding OER within broader educational ecosystems through participatory governance, pedagogical innovation, and strategic alignment with international frameworks such as the 2019 UNESCO Recommendation on OER and the 2024 Dubai Declaration. These frameworks advocate for sustainable models, inclusive access, and digital public goods, positioning OER as critical instruments for achieving equitable and future-ready education (UNESCO 2019, 2024).
1.2. Sustainability challenges and financial models for OER
The rapid expansion of OER has significantly transformed global education by promoting accessibility, affordability, and equity in learning. However, sustaining OER initiatives beyond initial funding cycles remains a critical challenge. To address this, diverse sustainability models have been proposed, yet their effectiveness varies based on technological, economic, and content factors (Downes 2007). For instance, De Langen (2013) explored how OERs could remain financially sustainable. While OERs are often offered at no cost to learners, producing and maintaining them still requires funding and resources. The author critiqued simplistic revenue-focused models and instead promoted more comprehensive business strategies rooted in value networks and stakeholder cooperation. Using frameworks like Osterwalder’s Business Model Canvas, the author categorized different motivations for participating in OER, ranging from altruism and public good to marketing and efficiency, and proposed several business models that could support long-term sustainability. The focus shifted toward building cooperative ecosystems involving governments, institutions, educators, and learners, where value is exchanged through both monetary and non-monetary means. Tlili et al. (2020) explored existing OER sustainability models through a triangulation approach, including a thorough literature review and a Delphi method involving 30 experts. Ten sustainability models were identified, with public and internal funding being the most used. The models were: 1) internal funding, 2) participation in OER networks, 3) public funding, 4) endowments/donations, 5) sponsorship/advertisement, 6) offering services to learners, 7) offering learning-related data to companies, 8) production of OER on demand, 9) relying on OER authors, and 10) a community-based model. The findings offer insights that could assist institutions in developing sustainable OER strategies, helping to promote global OER adoption and contributing to the achievement of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Versantvoort and Schuwer (2023) performed a research study to assess the outcomes of a collaborative effort between 15 universities that worked together to develop and share OER for a bachelor’s degree in Nursing. Key conclusions of the study indicate that the establishment and application of a quality framework for OER played a vital role in the project’s effectiveness. To support its continuity after the formal end of the project, institutional decision-makers were engaged from the beginning. Furthermore, a management approach that gave significant responsibility to project participants contributed indirectly but positively to the project’s results.
1.3. UNESCO policy frameworks and the role of the Dubai Declaration
In recognition of OER’s transformative potential, UNESCO Member States unanimously adopted the first international normative framework on OER in 2019 (UNESCO 2019). The 2019 UNESCO Recommendation on OER serves as a foundation for shared commitments to quality education and universal access to information (UNESCO 2019). As the first international normative instrument within the United Nations system to address openly licensed educational content, it highlights the transformative potential of OER in advancing learning and knowledge sharing, both essential for building inclusive knowledge societies and achieving the Sustainable Development Goals. This Recommendation on OER focuses on five key action areas: 1) Capacity Building, by enhancing skills and knowledge for effective OER use and development, 2) Supportive Policy Development, by establishing frameworks that promote the adoption and integration of OER, 3) Inclusive and Equitable Access, by ensuring high-quality OER are accessible to all learners, 4) Sustainability Models, by creating strategies to maintain and expand OER initiatives, and 5) International Cooperation, by strengthening global collaboration to advance OER initiatives. More recently, the 2024 Dubai Declaration on OER provides a strategic roadmap for global cooperation, sustainable OER ecosystems, and outlines the role of OER as digital public goods in education (UNESCO 2024). Therefore, in 2024, the Dubai Declaration on Open Educational Resources (OER): Digital Public Goods and Emerging Technologies for Equitable and Inclusive Access to Knowledge (UNESCO 2024) emphasized the need for innovative sustainability strategies for the development and implementation of digital public goods. It also explored viable financial, technological, and governance models that ensure the longevity and scalability of OER initiatives.
1.4. Research gap and rationale for the current study
While prior research has extensively addressed the sustainability dimension of OER, particularly under the frameworks of the 2019 UNESCO Recommendation, existing literature remains largely focused on conventional financial and institutional models, such as cost-sharing, public funding, and network-based participation. However, the 2024 Dubai Declaration introduced an expanded and more integrated perspective on sustainability by emphasizing additional strategic dimensions: interoperability, environmentally sustainable practices, including green computing, and the reinforcement of ROAM-X principles – Rights, Openness, Accessibility, and Multi-stakeholder participation considerations. Despite this broader scope, empirical studies analyzing how professionals across higher education, government, civil society, and industry interpret and apply these expanded sustainability principles in real-world educational contexts are virtually absent. Consequently, there is a significant research gap concerning the practical understanding and operationalization of the sustainability models outlined in the Dubai Declaration. This study is a pioneer in addressing this gap by examining the practices, perceptions, and feedback of diverse stakeholders through an intervention conducted under the framework of the UNESCO/ICDE Chair “Movimiento Educativo Abierto para América Latina” (Ramírez Montoya 2025), held at Tecnológico de Monterrey. With the participation of approximately 100 professionals from various sectors, this research investigates the research question: What are the practices, perspectives, and feedback of stakeholders towards the sustainability models of OER as outlined in the Dubai Declaration, and how are they being implemented in specific educational projects? Consequently, the objective of this study is to analyze the practices, perspectives, and feedback of stakeholders from higher education, government, industry, and civil society regarding the implementation of sustainability models for OER in selected educational projects, as outlined in the 2024 Dubai Declaration, specifically in relation to green computing practices, sustainable financial strategies, multi-stakeholder collaboration, and interoperability within ongoing educational projects.
2. Theoretical Framework
The theoretical framework of this study is structured around four foundational pillars that support the sustainable implementation of OER in alignment with international policy frameworks such as the 2019 UNESCO Recommendation and the 2024 Dubai Declaration. To guide the reader and clarify the connection between broader educational technologies and OER, this section begins by contextualizing OER within the wider ecosystem of digital tools and platforms that enable open and inclusive education. A transitional explanation is provided to connect general digital innovations—such as educational platforms, artificial intelligence, and simulations—with the specific role of OER in democratizing knowledge. This structured approach aims to ease comprehension by gradually narrowing the scope from general technological enablers to the core pillars that define OER sustainability in this study: (1) OER as educational tools, (2) Digital Public Goods, (3) Sustainable Environmental Approaches and Green Computing, and (4) Sustainability Models outlined in international declarations. Each pillar is presented in a separate subsection to help the reader follow the progression of ideas and appreciate the theoretical underpinnings of the research.
2.1. OER
In a short period of time, new information and communication technologies have become a cornerstone in the construction of a new society. Moreover, the use of these new technologies promises the development of innovative educational systems that foster the creation of a more just society, especially when the future will be based on knowledge, the development of new competencies, and information (Pacheco-Velazquez & Aguilar-Avalo 2019; Anderson, Van Weert & Duchâteau 2002). One of the fundamental objectives is to prepare young people to play a more significant role and to better respond to the new work environments.
In particular, the use of educational platforms has transformed teaching and learning processes. These platforms facilitate access, flexibility, content standardization, interactivity, and the development of self-learning skills (Josué et al. 2023). Additionally, these spaces foster collaboration among participants, enhance communication between students and teachers, offer personalized learning pathways, facilitate assessment, and provide a wide variety of educational resources.
In addition to the use of educational platforms, other tools are transforming the way knowledge is disseminated, such as the use of games and simulators, which increase student engagement, make learning more meaningful, and promote the development of complex thinking (Pacheco 2015; Pacheco & Palma-Mendoza 2021). Bonet et al. (2022) highlights that artificial intelligence has facilitated personalized learning, the development of intelligent tutoring systems, and the automation of educational processes. Finally, these authors highlight the use of OER, which represents learning or teaching materials that can be used freely and at no cost. OER can include books, videos, applications, websites, simulations, games, and more, serving as a valuable alternative to reduce educational costs. They promote self-learning and lifelong education, enhance teaching by facilitating content and software sharing, and improve learning outcomes (Adil et al. 2024). Furthermore, the creation and adoption of OER offers a valuable strategy to increase access to, and the quality of, higher education. By using these resources, students do not have to make any payments to access them. In this way, OER promote the democratization of knowledge, eliminate access barriers, optimize their impact in the educational field, and maximize societal benefits (Figure 1).
Figure 1
Benefits of OER. Source: Authors.
However, ensuring the financing of these initiatives is essential. It is necessary to develop sustainability models that guarantee the production, maintenance, and dissemination of OER. Tlili et al. (2020) describe several strategies to achieve this goal, including universities covering these costs as part of their educational mission, access to national or international government funds, resources from foundations or individual donations, corporate funding in exchange for advertising, and the sale of certifications as a form of continuing education. The authors also suggest that OER can be created through the collaboration of educators and students. On the other hand, Adil et al. (2024) point out that, in addition to the economic aspect, there are other significant challenges in systematizing OER. These include the lack of time to find suitable resources, limited knowledge about licenses and copyright, quality and verification issues, as well as technological limitations and lack of organizational support (Figure 2).
Figure 2
Challenges related to the systematization of OER. Source: Authors.
2.2. Digital Public Goods
Digital Public Goods (DPGs) are a broad conceptual category encompassing digital resources that are usable, shareable, and adaptable by anyone with little or no restrictions, which are their characteristics as displayed in Figure 3. These include open-source software, open standards, open data, open AI systems, and open content. DPGs must adhere to privacy and other applicable laws and best practices, ensure that their deployment does not cause unintended negative consequences to individuals or communities, and help attain the SDGs (Digital Public Goods Alliance 2024). UNESCO, in its Dubai Declaration on OER (UNESCO 2024), has placed DPGs at the center of global efforts to support digital access and equity.
Figure 3
Key characteristics of digital public goods. Source: Authors.
Openness has been a contested approach for a long time, particularly in digital infrastructures, a crucial enabler, if not a prerequisite, for robust and equitable DPGs. Russell (2014) documents how early telecommunications engineers, and later digital small firms, championed open standards as a counterforce to monopolistic control, ensuring that systems remained interoperable and accessible. Similarly, the Free Software Movement’s emphasis on user freedoms, with the GNU project in 1983, and the more pragmatic approach of the 1998 Open-Source Initiative, appealing to broader interests, including the commercial, reflect ongoing struggles between competing models of digital development (Weller 2014).
This tension persists in contemporary debates on DPGs, as large-scale international initiatives seek to institutionalize open resources while navigating power imbalances between global donors, local actors, and dominant tech firms (Nicholson et al. 2022; Digital Public Goods Alliance 2024). Today, DPGs must contend in an environment where technology providers offer public-facing tools and platforms that, although they appear to be open, in reality reinforce dependency on proprietary ecosystems rather than fostering true public ownership (Birch 2020).
DPGs aspire to advance equity and sustainability, but Nicholson et al. (2022) caution that openness does not automatically translate into positive development outcomes; DGPs require sustained investment in governance, hosting, managing, updating, and adaptation to new interdependent digital systems, and to actual local needs. A nuanced understanding of platformization within individual organizations is required (Kovacevic-Opacic 2023).
Therefore, any theoretical framing that incorporates the concept and practices of DPGs needs to be permeable and rich, whilst also rooted in firm principles around the relationship between commercial and community activities, based on the idea of commercial provision as “work for hire” (Green 2025) and the need to stand against “open-washing” (Digital Public Goods Alliance 2024).
DPGs are shaped by the social and technological affordances, aspirations, and constraints of our diverse global and local communities. Their scope evolves as they are brought into practice, and their adequacy is better assessed with respect to a particular context and perspective. In this vein, the DPG Standard, the rules for granting the status of DPGs to digital resources established by the Digital Public Goods Alliance (Digital Public Goods Alliance n.d.), are themselves an open collaborative project bringing together experts and organizations, with examples displayed in Figure 4.
Figure 4
Examples of digital public goods. Source: Authors.
This article, where DPGs are considered in connection to OER and sustainability, including green computing, is expected to enrich the general debate around DPGs with tangible contributions from this particular angle.
2.3. Sustainable environmental approaches and green computing
Sustainable environmental approaches have become increasingly relevant in the educational domain, especially in the context of OER, where energy-efficient design, equitable access, and alignment with global sustainability goals are paramount. Figure 5 highlights the key principles of sustainable environmental approaches, including resource efficiency, ecosystem preservation, SDGs, intergenerational equity, and low environmental impact. Hossain et al. (2025) emphasized that environmental sustainability practices within SMEs are strongly influenced by knowledge dimensions and behavioral mediation, which can be analogously applied to educational institutions adopting OER, where awareness, capacity building, and stakeholder commitment are critical. The benefits of these approaches, as illustrated in Figure 6, include economic efficiency, environmental preservation, global impact, and social equity, all of which position OER not only as an educational innovation but also as a strategic tool for sustainable development and digital transformation in education.
Figure 5
Key principles of sustainable environmental approaches. Source: Authors.
Figure 6
Benefits of sustainable environmental approaches. Source: Authors.
The concept of “green computing” is related to both the production of chips, systems, and networks (hardware) and the optimization of programs and information systems (software). The main objective is to minimize the negative effects of technology on the environment. Among the declared goals, we can mention the reduction of energy consumption, minimization of electronic waste, optimization of software and hardware, and the use of renewable energy sources (Paul et al. 2023). The main objectives of this trend are shown in Figure 7. Furthermore, the authors identify various sectors or fields of application where green computing strategies are implemented. Among these domains, the most relevant are the design of energy-efficient data centers, sustainable strategies in cloud computing, strategies to reduce energy consumption in data storage and processing, implementation of sustainable digital solutions in the educational sector, among others. Figure 8 illustrates the main sectors studied in green computing.
Figure 7
Key objectives of green computing. Source: Authors.
Figure 8
Examples of green computing. Source: Authors.
Since OER are increasingly being integrated into educational platforms or institutional repositories, the green computing strategy becomes a critical factor to ensure the efficient distribution of these resources while minimizing the carbon footprint generated by digital educational support systems. In particular, the goal is to enhance the creation of sustainable learning environments.
Vakaliuk et al. (2020) propose the development of green technologies to design sustainable learning environments. Tlili et al. (2019) highlight that OER-based education in China uses cloud-based platforms, improving energy efficiency through Green Cloud Computing technologies. Alenezi, Wardat and Akour (2023) state that digital education is closely linked to the concept of sustainability, as it reduces the use of materials such as paper, ink, and other resources commonly used in traditional education. Additionally, the authors argue that educational platforms can align with the concept of green computing, as they promote efficient cloud resource usage, optimize software usage, and encourage the hosting of data in sustainable data centers.
Although many studies discuss the concept of green computing, the number of studies that connect this concept with OER remains quite limited.
2.4. Sustainability models for OER as per 2024 Dubai Declaration: Similarities and contrasts with 2019 UNESCO Recommendation on OER
Action Area 4 of the 2019 UNESCO Recommendation on OER centers supporting the development of sustainable models for the creation, use, and ongoing support of OER. On the other hand, the 2024 Dubai Declaration on OER focuses on the importance of adopting innovative strategies to sustain the development and use of digital public goods, by also examining practical financial, technological, and governance approaches aimed at ensuring the long-term impact and expansion of OER initiatives. Table 1 shows the similarities and differences between these two initiatives.
Table 1
Similarities and differences between the 2019 OER Recommendation on sustainability models and the 2024 Dubai Declaration on sustainability models for OER (Burgos 2025).
| 2019 OER RECOMMENDATION ON SUSTAINABILITY MODELS FOR OER (PARIS) (UNESCO 2019) | 2024 DUBAI DECLARATION ON OER (DUBAI) (UNESCO 2024) |
|---|---|
| Examining existing provisions, procurement rules, and policies to streamline the process of acquiring goods and services in support of OER initiatives, and, when relevant, enhancing the ability of OER stakeholders to engage effectively in these procedures. | Promoting strategies that guarantee interoperability, protection of intellectual property rights (IPR), and the sustainable development of OER, all rooted in the ROAM-X human rights principles, openness, accessibility, inclusive multi-stakeholder engagement, and attention to cross-cutting issues, especially gender equity. |
| Making sure that the financial cost of educational materials does not fall on learners and educators, while also promoting alternative funding approaches (such as resource-sharing based on reciprocity, partnerships, and networks) as well as generating income through donations, membership programs, and crowdfunding efforts. | Encouraging environmentally sustainable practices, like green computing, in the creation and implementation of digital public goods, aiming to lower energy use and cut down on carbon emissions, while also acknowledging situations where the use of AI tools may be unnecessary or unsuitable. |
| Encouraging and increasing awareness of collaborative OER models that emphasize active participation, joint creation, shared value generation, community-driven partnerships, fostering innovation, and uniting individuals around a shared purpose. | Encouraging participatory governance, open transparency, public accountability, and routine audits across the entire OER ecosystem, including its technological, legal, and educational components, to foster trust among all stakeholders. |
| Implementing regulatory frameworks that encourage the creation of OER materials and related services, ensuring they comply with both national and international standards, as well as the interests and values of OER stakeholders. | Encouraging the growth of open ecosystems that emphasize the creation of digital public goods and open-source solutions, particularly within knowledge management platforms and funding structures. This involves strengthening public infrastructure, promoting collaboration between public and private sectors, and backing innovative private efforts in OER that leverage emerging technologies such as AI while aligning with the core values of digital public goods and strong commitments to openness. |
| Creating and refining existing evidence-based standards, benchmarks, and related criteria for OER, with a strong focus on evaluating the quality of both openly licensed and traditionally copyrighted educational resources. |
OER initiatives often emphasize the technical side of implementation, with many national and institutional efforts starting by creating or adapting content repositories. These projects are attractive because they’re relatively easy to fund and can quickly go online. While repositories serve as a visible and valuable part of an OER strategy, ensuring their long-term sustainability presents challenges. Key considerations include ongoing technical maintenance, updating infrastructure, hiring skilled staff to manage and assess resources, fostering active user and creator communities, ensuring proper licensing, using networks to mobilize resources efficiently, and exploring sustainable funding and procurement models (UNESCO 2019).
3. Materials and Methods
This section outlines the research design, participant engagement, and data collection procedures employed to explore the implementation and perception of sustainability models for OER within the context of the Dubai Declaration.
3.1. Study design, context of the event, and description of participants
The participants of this study attended the UNESCO Stay 2025: Open Educational Movement for Latin America within the Cátedra UNESCO-ICDE Movimiento Educativo Abierto para América Latina (URL: https://oerunesco.tec.mx/) chapter, held from January 20 to January 31, 2025, at Tecnológico de Monterrey in Monterrey, Mexico. More than 100 participants worked together over two weeks to co-create and actively learn on OER. They were professionals from diverse disciplines, working across the educational, governmental, social, and business sectors. Among the participants were different stakeholders including PhD students, administrative staff, teachers, professors, professionals, government entities, and researchers from primary, secondary, higher, and postgraduate education. The attendees represented a wide range of countries, including Mexico, Argentina, Colombia, Costa Rica, Chile, Dominican Republic, Germany, Guatemala, Italy, Spain, Pakistan, Peru, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, United States, and Uruguay.
The objective of the UNESCO Stay was to collaboratively develop new educational and open science solutions by bringing together individuals from academia, government, industry, and civil society to envision the future of education for all. In addition, it aimed to create a platform for exchanging ideas, experiences, and best practices that contribute to innovative research initiatives and a collective manifesto (Ramírez Montoya 2025). Each team was assigned to work on a specific educational project related to OER, with the intervention designed to incorporate sustainability dimensions into the development of their projects. This effort aligned with the frameworks of the UNESCO 2019 Recommendation on OER and the Dubai Declaration 2024, emphasizing complexity and sustainable development.
This study focused on the exploration of Action Area 4 of the UNESCO Recommendation: “Nurturing the Creation of Sustainability Models for OER”, (UNESCO 2019), as well as on the Dubai Declaration on Open Education and Open Science titled “Sustainability Models for OER” (UNESCO 2024). Participants attended a workshop comprising talks on these topics, followed by a series of engaging activities. The workshop included a pre-test, an interactive activity, and a post-test to assess understanding and engagement. The interactive activity “Digital Collaborative Space to Foster Sustainability Models on OER” was structured in two phases. In the first phase, participants received a talk about sustainability models of OER focusing on sustainable environmental approaches, green computing, financial strategies, partnerships, and interoperability, while in the second phase, they worked together to reflect on those topics and implement them in educational projects. The mixed method approach was used to analyze and interpret the results of these activities, as can be appreciated in Figure 9.
Figure 9
Methodology used in this work to integrate and interpret the results. Source: Authors.
3.2. Pre-test
To assess participants’ knowledge of sustainability models for OER, a brief survey was conducted at the beginning of the workshop. The questions included:
How well do you understand the concept of sustainable environmental approaches in the context of digital public goods?
How familiar are you with the ROAM-X principles applied to the development of OER?
How familiar are you with green computing practices in digital public goods?
How well do you understand interoperability and intellectual property rights in sustainable OER models?
3.3. Phase I of intervention: Theoretical concepts
In this part of the activity, the participants attended a conference about the theoretical concepts of sustainability models of OER outlined within the Dubai Declaration. The first part of the talk centered on sustainable environmental approaches and their key principles, such as resource efficiency, ecosystem preservation, SDG, intergenerational equity, and low environmental impact. The benefits of these approaches were also presented. Then, the definition of digital public goods was introduced, as well as their characteristics and some examples. The concept of the green computer was also introduced by the presenter, including its key objectives and examples. Then, the Dubai Declaration on OER: Sustainability Models for OER was presented. Based on the topics covered in the talk, an activity for interactive collaboration was carried out.
3.4. Phase II of intervention: Interactive media digital collaborative space to foment sustainability models on OER
In this part, participants were grouped in teams of around 10 people and worked together to reflect on the promotion and creation of sustainability models for OERs. The instructions and interactive digital media workspace for the activity are shown in Figure 10. The purpose of the activity was to encourage the exchange of ideas, comments, and reflections for the development of sustainability models for OER. The activity was divided into four sections, each represented by a colored column corresponding to a specific guiding question. The first question (yellow) addressed the challenges involved in sustaining OER models. The second (green) focused on identifying opportunities for sustainable approaches. The third (purple) invited participants to reflect on collaboration strategies among stakeholders. The final question (pink) explored insights for envisioning an interoperable ecosystem. The activity lasted 20 minutes, and teams were not required to respond to all questions.
Figure 10
Instructions and workspace for the Activity Collaborative Digital Space for Reflection. Source: Authors.
From the analysis of team-based responses in the collaborative digital space, four major thematic categories emerged: (a) energy-efficient infrastructure, (b) hybrid financial models, (c) participatory governance mechanisms, and (d) interoperability through open standards. These categories reflect recurring strategic priorities proposed across teams and are aligned with the key pillars of the Dubai Declaration. Eventually, they were formulated into four questions, which were:
What strategies are you implementing in your project to incorporate green computing practices as part of promoting sustainable energy use and reducing the environmental footprint?
What opportunities do you identify for integrating sustainable financial strategies into the development and implementation of ongoing educational projects, considering the use of OER?
How can multiple stakeholders (universities, governments, industries, and civil society) work together to ensure sustainable practices in ongoing educational projects, considering the use of OER?
What strategies are you considering in your proposed project to ensure the interoperability of OER?
3.5. Post-test
The same survey conducted in Section 3.2 was administered to participants after the workshop to assess any changes in their understanding.
3.6. Limitations of the study
This study is limited to participants of the UNESCO Stay 2025: Open Educational Movement for Latin America. While the attendees included professionals from diverse backgrounds, incorporating insights from additional disciplines could further enrich the scope of this work. Specifically, it examines Action Area 4 of the 2019 UNESCO Recommendation on OER. Future research could explore perspectives on the remaining four action areas to provide a more comprehensive understanding.
4. Results
The intervention consisted of two phases: Phase I, which introduced participants to the theoretical framework on sustainability models of OER within the Dubai Declaration, and Phase II, which engaged 10 teams in a digital collaborative space to propose solutions addressing key sustainability dimensions of OER.
4.1. Findings from the digital interactive media collaborative space
The teams analyzed and responded to four research questions related to green computing, sustainable financial models, multi-stakeholder collaboration, and interoperability of OER.
4.1.1. Question 1. What strategies are you implementing in your project to incorporate green computing practices as part of promoting sustainable energy use and reducing the environmental footprint?
Participants identified multiple green computing practices to minimize energy consumption and reduce the carbon footprint in OER projects, aligning with the Dubai Declaration’s emphasis on sustainable environmental approaches. Several teams emphasized energy-efficient computing solutions, such as using renewable energy-powered cloud services, Linux-based operating systems, and repurposed hardware (Team 2). Teams also recommended partnering with renewable energy companies and adopting energy-efficient software tools (Team 5). Other teams focused on designing low-energy digital resources, raising awareness on green computing, and optimizing infrastructure through AI-driven energy management (Teams 6 and 9). Additionally, teams advocated for ensuring that deployed hardware and software comply with green certifications and using community-based technological resources to maximize sustainability (Teams 7 and 9).
4.1.2. Question 2. What opportunities do you identify for integrating sustainable financial strategies into the development and implementation of ongoing educational projects, considering the use of OER?
To ensure long-term financial viability, teams proposed diverse financing mechanisms for OER projects. Some teams recommended green funding and crowdfunding models (Team 5), while others suggested freemium, sponsorship, and community-supported funding structures (Teams 6 and 7). A key strategy involved aligning financial sustainability with the ROAM-X principles, particularly multi-stakeholder engagement in open education. Teams also explored public-private partnerships, with suggestions that governments and institutions should classify OER as public goods while enabling commercial adaptations for revenue generation (Team 7). Additionally, teams proposed institutional cost-sharing models, dynamic pricing based on institutional income, and consortium-based ownership of OER infrastructure (Team 8). Other recommendations focused on grant diversification, impact-driven funding applications, and institutional integration of OER into long-term strategic plans (Team 9).
4.1.3. Question 3. How can multiple stakeholders (universities, governments, industries, and civil society) work together to ensure sustainable practices in ongoing educational projects, considering the use of OER?
Teams formulated strategies to enhance coordinated governance of OER ecosystems. They recommended establishing participatory governance frameworks to ensure transparency, public reporting, and accountability (Team 2). Other teams proposed structuring clear benefits for different stakeholders, including universities, industries, governments, and civil society (Teams 2 and 6). Some teams advocated for social responsibility agreements, long-term institutional partnerships, and cross-sector cooperation mechanisms (Teams 6 and 7). Others emphasized formalizing governance through policies, declarations, and legal agreements while creating dedicated community-led coordinating bodies to oversee implementation (Team 7). Teams also proposed regional consortia of universities to manage shared OER repositories (Team 8) and establish high-level multi-stakeholder frameworks to regulate OER integration into national education systems (Team 9).
4.1.4. Question 4. What strategies are you considering in your proposed project to ensure the interoperability of OER?
Teams highlighted the need to align OER interoperability with open standards, licensing frameworks, and emerging technologies, as outlined in the Dubai Declaration. They proposed adopting open-source software, repository APIs, and metadata-driven digital preservation mechanisms to ensure seamless data integration and long-term accessibility (Teams 6 and 9). Many teams emphasized using multi-platform, multi-format, and multilingual OER solutions that can be downloaded and used in various educational environments (Teams 7 and 8). Teams further recommended compliance with international metadata standards, such as author and resource identification protocols, to enhance persistent digital access and prevent resource obsolescence (Team 9). To strengthen technical interoperability, teams proposed using Creative Commons licenses, standardizing data structures, and developing shared ontologies for semantic consistency across OER platforms (Team 8).
The intervention (detailed in Sections 3.3 and 3.4) significantly enhanced participants’ ability to conceptualize and implement sustainability models for OER. The proposed solutions demonstrated technical depth, strategic alignment with the Dubai Declaration, and actionable pathways for integrating sustainability principles into digital public goods and OER ecosystems.
4.2. Comparison between pre-test and post-test
Figure 11 presents the pre-test results, while Figure 12 displays the post-test results after the intervention. The intervention significantly impacted participants’ understanding of sustainable environmental approaches, digital public goods, and the Dubai Declaration on OER. In Question 1, the pre-test weighted average was 2.85, with 10 respondents rating it “Very Low” and 16 rating it “Medium”. In the post-test, the weighted average increased to 3.71, with a notable rise in “Very High” ratings (12 responses) and a decline in “Very Low” (2 responses). For Question 2, the pre-test weighted average was 1.82, the lowest among all questions, with 30 respondents rating it “Very Low”. In the post-test, the average increased to 3.12, with only 7 respondents in “Very Low”, and an increase in “Very High” (9 responses). Question 3 showed improvement from a pre-test average of 2.05 to a post-test average of 3.49. The number of “Very Low” responses decreased from 22 to 3, while “High” and “Very High” responses increased to 12 and 10, respectively. In Question 4, the pre-test average was 2.70, with 16 responses in “Very Low” and 14 in “High”. The post-test average rose to 3.51, with “Very Low” decreasing to 3 responses and “Very High” increasing to 12 responses. Overall, all four questions demonstrated substantial improvement in understanding and familiarity, indicating the effectiveness of the intervention. Participants significantly shifted from lower to higher Likert-scale ratings, suggesting increased awareness and knowledge of sustainable models for OER, digital public goods, and green computing practices.
Figure 11
Left: Pre-intervention distribution of Likert scale responses for four survey questions, represented as a stacked bar chart. Right: Pre-intervention corresponding weighted average Likert scores visualized in a vertical line chart. Question 1: How well do you understand the concept of sustainable environmental approaches in the context of digital public goods? Question 2: How familiar are you with the ROAM-X principles applied to the development of OER? Question 3: How familiar are you with green computing practices in digital public goods? Question 4: How well do you understand interoperability and intellectual property rights in sustainable OER models? Source: authors.
Figure 12
Left: Post-intervention distribution of Likert scale responses for four survey questions, represented as a stacked bar chart. Right: Post-intervention corresponding weighted average Likert scores visualized in a vertical line chart. Question 1: How well do you understand the concept of sustainable environmental approaches in the context of digital public goods? Question 2: How familiar are you with the ROAM-X principles applied to the development of OER? Question 3: How familiar are you with green computing practices in digital public goods? Question 4: How well do you understand interoperability and intellectual property rights in sustainable OER models? Source: authors.
5. Discussion
The findings derived from the collaborative intervention presented in this study offer a detailed account of stakeholders’ practices, perspectives, and feedback concerning the sustainability models of OER within the framework of the 2024 Dubai Declaration, especially as they are being operationalized through concrete educational projects. As visualized in Figures 11 and 12, there was a notable evolution in understanding and application across four key domains: sustainable environmental approaches, ROAM-X principles, green computing practices, and interoperability of OER. These results reveal a deepened conceptual and practical engagement by the participants with the Dubai Declaration’s call for integrated, participatory, and ethically grounded sustainability models. In particular, responses to the digital collaborative space activities highlighted a shift from abstract awareness to the generation of actionable strategies across diverse dimensions: green computing (e.g., renewable-powered infrastructure), financial sustainability (e.g., crowdfunding, freemium models), governance (e.g., multi-stakeholder accountability), and interoperability (e.g., metadata-driven standards).
These responses align with the insights from Menzli et al. (2022), who demonstrated that the relative advantage of OER must be accompanied by practical alignment with local institutional contexts to support adoption. In contrast, Ndaago, Kankam and Bentil (2025) reported that even basic awareness of OER among postgraduate students in Ghana was limited, thus reinforcing the argument that higher-order sustainability strategies necessitate foundational capacity-building interventions. Similarly, Noone et al. (2024) outlined that financial barriers and textbook costs remain a persistent equity challenge, and the financial models proposed by participants directly correspond to these concerns by envisioning cost-free access through diversified funding streams. Moreover, the emphasis on stakeholder collaboration as seen in our findings reflects Lapum et al.’s (2022) call for designing OERs that promote inclusion and counteract dominant discourses—an aspect mirrored in teams’ proposals for participatory governance and social justice-centered design. Furthermore, the focus on technical interoperability resonates with findings from Baas et al. (2022), who showed that OER adoption increases when educators engage in collaborative quality assessments and adapt resources contextually. The results also echo the findings of Cho & Permzadian (2024), who demonstrated through meta-analysis that OER interventions significantly enhance course performance, thereby validating the educational efficacy of the sustainability efforts when well-integrated.
In the light of these synergies, the implications for policy are substantial: educational institutions and governments must adopt multi-level frameworks that go beyond infrastructure provision and address the relational, financial, and ethical layers of OER ecosystems. Policies should institutionalize cross-sectoral cooperation mechanisms, recognize OER as digital public goods, and mandate interoperability and sustainability as core criteria in the design and implementation of open educational projects. Such measures are essential for transforming the aspirations of the Dubai Declaration into enduring educational practices and ensuring that sustainability models are not only conceptual imperatives but operational realities.
6. Conclusion
This study provides evidence that stakeholders within and outside the educational field are increasingly aligning with the sustainability models of OER promoted by the Dubai Declaration, particularly in areas such as green computing, financial viability, interoperability, and stakeholder collaboration. The results demonstrated that targeted interventions can significantly improve the understanding and application of sustainability principles in OER-related projects. These insights should inform educational policy frameworks to institutionalize sustainable OER practices, emphasizing cross-sectoral governance, inclusive funding mechanisms, and digital public goods strategies.
The study’s scope is limited to participants of the UNESCO Stay 2025, predominantly from Latin American and selected international contexts. While the group was multidisciplinary, the findings may not reflect the full spectrum of educational stakeholders, especially from underrepresented regions or disciplines. Additionally, the short duration of the intervention limits the ability to assess the long-term integration and impact of the proposed sustainability practices. On the other hand, although teams were intentionally composed to ensure a diverse mix of participants—including expert researchers, early-career academics, and postgraduate students—this composition posed a contextual limitation. In several group activities, contributions from more experienced researchers tended to dominate the discussions, potentially limiting the visibility of ideas and perspectives from less experienced participants. This imbalance may have influenced the collective responses submitted during the interactive collaborative activity and should be considered when interpreting the qualitative findings.
Future research should explore the operationalization of OER sustainability models in diverse institutional and cultural contexts over extended timeframes. Comparative studies across the five UNESCO OER action areas could yield a more comprehensive understanding of implementation gaps. Moreover, investigating the impact of emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence and blockchain in enhancing transparency, traceability, and quality assurance of OER ecosystems represents a promising direction. The organization of further initiatives is recommended to allow professionals from diverse backgrounds to collaborate on education-oriented projects. The positive outcomes of this event outline the need for sustained and expanded efforts, as they not only strengthened interdisciplinary collaboration among participants but also emphasized the importance of the continuous development and refinement of sustainability-focused OER projects.
Data Accessibility Statement
The data are available upon reasonable request from the corresponding author.
Acknowledgements
This work was developed within the framework of the activities of the UNESCO/ICDE Chair on the Open Educational Movement for Latin America (Tecnológico de Monterrey, Mexico). We appreciate the academic support for the construction of academic networks. Este trabajo se desarrolló en el marco de las actividades de la Cátedra UNESCO/ICDE Movimiento educativo abierto para América Latina (Tecnologico de Monterrey-México). Se agradece el soporte académico para la construcción en redes académicas.
The authors would like to thank Tecnológico de Monterrey for the financial support provided through the ‘Challenge-Based Research Funding Program 2023’, Project ID #IJXT070-23EG99001, entitled ‘Complex Thinking Education for All (CTE4A): A Digital Hub and School for Lifelong Learners.’
The authors are also grateful to J. Vladimir Burgos Aguilar for his intervention in the workshop.
The authors would like to acknowledge the financial support of Writing Lab, Institute for the Future of Education, Tecnologico de Monterrey, Mexico, in the production of this work.
Competing Interests
The authors have no competing interests to declare.
Author Contributions
Cristina Sofia Torres-Castillo contributed to the writing of the Materials and Methods section and part of the Introduction. Rasikh Tariq designed the study, implemented part of the intervention, and wrote the Results section, as well as portions of the Introduction and Theoretical Framework. Diana Hernández-Montoya participated in the intervention process, contributed to the development of the Theoretical Framework, co-authored the Discussion section, and reviewed the entire article for validation and coherence. Antonio Martínez-Arboleda contributed to the study design and intervention process, authored sections of the Theoretical Framework, and revised and validated the full article. Ernesto Pacheco-Velázquez contributed to the Theoretical Framework and reviewed the complete article for validation.