Invitation for Expressions of Interest: Open Courses Development and Delivery 2025

Open Courses (opencourses.ie) – a strategic initiative for professional development in higher education – is a programme facilitated by the Higher Education Authority and its National Forum for the Enhancement of Teaching and Learning in partnership with higher education institutions and organisations across Ireland. This initiative aims to drive innovation and enhance teaching and learning across the higher education sector.

Launched in 2017, Open Courses offers flexible, non-accredited professional development opportunities that align with the National Professional Development Framework for all Staff who Teach in Higher Education. To date, the initiative has issued over 7,200 professional development digital badges and trained over 1,250 facilitators across various Open Course opportunities.

Interested parties are invited to submit proposals for the development, delivery, and facilitator training of Open Courses. With a funding allocation of up to €25,000 per successful proposal, the focus for this call is on courses that align with national strategic priorities in teaching and learning, incorporate the latest developments in their respective areas, and reach a wide national audience, including the training of future facilitators.

New for 2025: The N-TUTORR My Digital Backpack (mydigitalbackpack.ie) is now fully integrated with OpenCourses.ie. This integration allows for professional and personal development opportunities to be offered to students as well as staff, extending the overall reach and impact of Open Courses.

null
Information Webinar ➔
null
Frequently Asked Questions ➔
null
Development Guide ➔
null
Submit a Proposal ➔

Expressions of interest are welcomed in the following areas:

  1. New Open Course Development: Develop and deliver a new Open Course that aligns with the national professional development framework for all those who teach, as well as national strategic priorities in the area of teaching and learning.
  2. Updating Existing Open Courses: Update and deliver current Open Courses to reflect the latest developments in the area of teaching and learning. This includes substantial improvements or developments that enhance course content, delivery, or relevance.
  3. OER and OEP in Higher Education: In addition to the open categories above, a funded course in this call will be dedicated to the development and delivery of a national Open Course on OER and OEP in Higher Education. This course will take a broad view of Open Education, supporting staff to advance the strategic integration and practical application of OER and OEP at individual and institutional levels. See Part D of the documentation for the full Pre-Specified Course Brief.

Open Courses should appeal to a broad audience and encourage enrolment across the sector. This ensures a diverse learning environment and promotes a wide dissemination of knowledge and skills. Cross institutional collaboration between higher education institutions is particularly encouraged. In keeping with the open and shared approach taken by the National Forum to date, the inclusion of participants from the private higher education and further education sectors is also encouraged.

Those considering submission are strongly advised to familiarise themselves with the development guide provided in this call to inform their application.

Key Dates

 

Expression of Interest (EOI) launched 23 September 2025
Information Webinar (Recording and Slides) 08 October 2025 (3PM)
Deadline for submission of EOI 30 October 2025 (5PM)
Evaluation and Panel Review November 2025
Notification of Outcome 28 November 2025
Development and Delivery From January 2026

 

All queries relating to this expressions of interest call should be forwarded to admin@teachingandlearning.ie.