Open training platform - UNESCO

Published 22nd July 2008

UNESCO operates a site that publishes free training courses and the promotion of Open License training material. The site has a broad range of community development tools as well as some information on building environmentally sustainable housing.

The site describes it self as follows. 

The objective behind this platform is to empower trainers or/and trainees with free resources, offer them a structured collaborative space to share their training but also to promote and value the “open” training materials, which are freely and openly accessible for trainers and self-learners to use and re-use for non commercial purposes such as teaching, learning and research.

The Communication and Information Sector of UNESCO has been developing this open training platform available on line, to build capacities of :

• local people
• specialized communities (Trainers, educators, decision makers & policy makers, entrepreneurs, farmers, scientists, media people, librarians, archivists & information specialists, cultural actors, health specialists, environment specialists, development & social worker or civil servants)

through ICT-enhanced training.

It offers a central access point to non-formal education resources and training which may be relevant to them according to their needs, knowledge, language and culture, with special emphasis on developing countries’ people. This is at the service of end users (through community centers, IT kiosks, equipped libraries, etc.) but also helps trainers in their guiding and facilitating role to make people, including women and young, adapted to actively participate in knowledge societies and economies where their future stands in their ability to be active opportunity seekers.