1. Open Educational Resources (OER) are diffusely considered as a strategic resource to enhance democracy, starting from the democratization of education and their role in achieving United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. In June 2019, the Paris intergovernmental meeting brought together government delegates, experts from the education and library sectors as well as open education advocates to work on a draft of recommendations to advocate global investment in five areas supporting OER: capacity building, developing supportive policy, ensuring inclusive and equitable access to quality OER, sustainability models for OER, and international cooperation. The reviewed Draft Recommendation on Open Educational Resources is now available on the UNESCO website. (Thematic Networks on the IPSAPortal)

 

2. A new Pew Research Center survey – on China’s economic growth mostly welcomed in emerging markets but neighbours wary of its influence – explores public opinions' attitude towards China, emerged in recent decades as a global economic superpower: The second-largest economy, the largest exporter by value and a big investor in overseas infrastructure and development. The research highlights the positive view of China’s economic stature, particularly in emerging markets, where people generally see China’s growing economy as a good thing for their country and believe in its positive influence on their country’s economic affairs. However, China's military growth is not very welcomed, especially for its neighbours, that rather see U.S. economic influence in their country positively. (Research Institute on the IPSAPortal)

 

3. Since 2002, the European Commission regularly measures public perceptions among citizens living in the Euro area countries. The last Flash Eurobarometer includes evaluation of: support for the Euro at national and at the EU level; the perceived ease of handling and the views on the number of different value coins available; the persistence of the use of citizens of converting prices from euros to their former national currency; the impact the Euro has had in relation to travelling abroad in other EU countries; the perceptions of coordination among Euro area governments; views on the need for economic reforms. All data are available on the EU Open Data Portal. (Data Banks on the IPSAPortal)