Maastricht University Library advances open education
Maastricht University Library is playing a leading role in driving a transition towards more open, innovative, and sustainable education. As part of the national OpenUp scheme supported by Npuls, the library is developing structures that make open educational practices a permanent part of teaching and learning at Maastricht University (UM). OpenUp provides financial support for projects future-proofing teaching materials, as part of broader Npuls goals for barrier-free learning. This effort directly supports the university’s broader Open Science policy, which aims to make academic knowledge and educational resources more accessible, reusable, and beneficial to society.
Building sustainable open education
Through these initiatives, UM is establishing a foundation where lecturers can confidently (re)use and share high-quality teaching materials with an open license. This approach ensures educational materials are appropriately licensed, simplifies collaboration within and across faculties, and connects UM educators with colleagues nationally and internationally who embrace similar open education principles. The result is a more flexible, sustainable and equitable learning environment that benefits students, staff, and institutions alike.
At the heart of this work is a shift in academic culture: applying the openness familiar in research (such as sharing data and other research outputs) to the classroom. By making teaching materials FAIR (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, and Reusable), teachers achieve greater impact for their educational contributions, while students gain access to richer, more diverse knowledge sources.
From policy to everyday teaching practice
The library’s team Open Science in Education acts as a vital link between national policy ambitions and everyday educational practice at UM. Working closely with the Npuls programme, the team is ensuring that open and digital resources become embedded in teaching across disciplines.
This work is also highlighted in a recent Npuls article featuring an interview with Michel Saive and Akorshi Sengupta from UM Library, showcasing how the library contributes to the OpenUp programme and translates national ambitions into concrete educational practice at UM.
Photos: 2026 © Npuls. Used with permission.
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