26.11.2025, 06:00–06:45 o'clock (Europe/Berlin), Stage One
The University of Cape Town (UCT) has been involved in open education projects and research since 2007. Since 2018, the Digital Open Textbooks for Development (DOT4D) initiative has explored the role of open textbooks for social justice at UCT. This work aims to address economic, cultural and political injustices in higher education by improving access, cultural recognition, and representation of marginalised voices in textbooks and other teaching materials.
This presentation will trace the growth of open education both nationally and internationally and share research findings from the DOT4D initiative — an open textbook research, implementation and advocacy project that investigates the current ecosystem of open textbook publishing and provides practical support for academic authors at UCT. It shows how academics are engaging in open textbook initiatives in response to shared social injustices they witness in their classrooms, related to affordable access, curriculum transformation and multilingualism. The research identifies a nexus of three complementary components: open textbooks, social justice, and students as partners.
Associate Professor at the University of Cape Town. I work in the Centre for Innovation in Learning and teaching.
She holds the UNESCO chair in Open Education and Social Justice (2021-2025) and is a member of the UNITWIN network on Open Education (2024-2028). She is a Vice President of the Board of the Open Education Global organisation. She is on the editorial board of the International Journal of Students as Partners (joined in 2022).
Tina serves as Head of Viva con Agua Austria, a purpose-driven movement that activates people through music, art, and sport to help make clean drinking water accessible worldwide. A lifelong learner and curious mind, she brings a cross-cultural background shaped by work in China, India, Germany, and Austria, and a passion for social innovation and open education. She has contributed to several European open and digital education projects. Alongside her work, she mentors young people through Austria-wide youth entrepreneurship programs.