MOOCs4inclusion has been commissioned by the European Commission Directorate General Joint Research Centre (DG JRC). The JRC conducts research that provides science-based, customer-driven socio-economic and techno-economic support for the conception, development, implementation and monitoring of EU policies.

The Human Capital and Employment Unit of the JRC in Seville, which has overseen this study, aims to provide scientific support related to Human Capital and Employment so as to contribute to Innovation, Growth and Social Cohesion in the EU. The Unit aims to become a European Commission reference centre that leverages its access to EU policymakers and addresses their needs, in cooperation with other scholars and practitioners, through robust research and analysis in the areas of: (a) learning and education; (b) skills and competences; (c) work and labour; as well as (d) welfare systems and social change.

JRC research on “ICT for Learning and Skills” started in 2005 with the aim to provide evidence-based policy support to DG EAC (Directory General Education and Culture), DG EMPL (Directory General for Employment, Social Affairs & Inclusion) and Europe 2020 Strategy on harnessing the potential of ICT to innovate education and training practices, improve access to lifelong learning and to deal with the rise of new (digital) skills and key competences needed for employment, personal development and social inclusion. Current JRC Human capital and employment unit research on “ICT for Learning, Skills and Opening up Education” is structured around two main research strands: Innovating Learning and Teaching; and Key Competences and 21st century skills.’

Research Team:

Charalambos Vrasidas is Project coordinator and Senior Researcher for this study. Dr. Vrasidas is the founder and Executive Director of CARDET (www.cardet.org), an international non-profit organization based in Cyprus with partners from around the world. An innovator, lifelong learner and social entrepreneur, has more than 25 years of global experience in research, development, social justice, migration, policy, social innovation, education and e-learning. He has designed and implemented more than 200 projects in more than 30 countries. He is Professor of Learning Innovations & Policy and Associate Dean for e-learning at the University of Nicosia. He is Editor-in-Chief for the scholarly journal Educational Media International.

CARDET– Centre for the Advancement of Research and Development in Educational Technology. www.cardet.org, Nicosia (Cyprus) is a non-profit research and development organisation based in Cyprus. Its mission is to engage in research and development in educational media. CARDET is becoming one of the leading institutions in the Euro-Mediterranean region for research and development in education, e-learning, ICT-Based learning, innovation, social justice and migrant integration. It brings together an international team of experienced professionals with extensive global expertise in educational capacity building, e-learning, educational technology, education policy reform, integration for marginalised groups, learning design, research and evaluation. CARDET has collaborated with education institutions, Ministries, and corporations in Asia, Europe, and the USA. The CARDET team successfully completed more than 150 projects in more than 30 countries, several of which were supported by the European Commission, the US Department of Education, Microsoft, the Commonwealth of Learning, the United Nations Development Program, USAID, and several Ministries and other agencies.

Elizabeth Colucci is a consultant for this second study, and was the project coordinator for the first study. She has worked previously (and currently) for the European University Association, managing numerous international cooperation projects funded by the European Commission directorates for Education, Culture, Sport and Youth (EAC), Development Cooperation (DEVCO), Employment and Research. She is also currently a Senior Project Expert for the University of Barcelona/OBREAL (Observatory of Relations between the EU and Latin America), managing several contracts related to higher education development in the Southern Mediterranean, Africa and Latin America. She is versed in EU contracting procedures and reporting, managing partnership dynamics and communication and guaranteeing the timely implementation of deliverables. She has also served as an external evaluator for several EU projects under the Tempus programme, now the Erasmus+ programme, relating particularly to the Southern Mediterranean (of relevance to this study). On the academic front, she has co-coordinated studies for both EUA and, previously, the Academic Cooperation Association related to higher education trends in Europe, internationalisation, teaching and learning innovation/e-learning, joint degrees, student tracking and quality assurance and has also been directly contracted by the European Commission and other international organisations to deliver related academic papers and speak in conferences. She has conducted extensive policy analysis in the fields of higher education reform, the Bologna Process, education in development cooperation and internationalisation. She is a native English speaker and will guarantee the structure and language editing of the final report. In order to carry out all facets of this study effectively and ensure a high quality end-result, Colucci is subcontracting a dynamic and complimentary research team comprised of individuals and organisations with which she has collaborated previously.