 Hello everyone, this is Paul Stacey, the Executive Director of Open Education Global. Thanks so much for joining us for this closing session to what has been just an amazing week. I thought I'd, as part of this closing session, just provide some thanks and also a bit of looking at what took place this week and also looking ahead. But first to the thanks, I just want to make sure everyone joins me in expressing appreciation to Marion for the incredible work that she did as our host at Taipei Medical University. Thank you so much, Marion. This year has been such a strange year. And I really feel like this was a whole surprise. This is not the kind of conference that you were hoping we would do. But it's been fantastic to have your support and I really feel like you and your team really helped us make this event a success. So a huge appreciation from me and from all of OE Global for the support that you and your team provided. Thanks so much. Same goes for our co-hosts, Lina and Ecampus Ontario, and the large tech support team that was provided there to help support the live sessions. And also the amazing keynote that was done by students with the support of Chris Ferngland. Thanks so much, Lina. It's been really invaluable to have three hosts or co-hosts working with us this year on the event, including TU Delph. So Willem and Bea, thanks so much for all of the input you provided into the program, into the planning, and then into actually supporting the live activities taking place in your time zone and having all the students support the tech side of things. It's been just great. It goes without saying that this is like a mammoth task organizing a conference and Dave and Katsu did an incredible job as program chairs. This is no small task to organize a large program such as what we had for this year's conference and we met regularly for months and for Dave and Katsu it was always really late at night. So I did still late at night or getting late at night for them. So thanks so much Dave and Katsu for the incredible work that you did. Helping plan the program and then coordinate and communicate with all of those who are who were part of the program this year. Really big undertaking and you did an awesome job. It goes without saying that the whole staff of OE Global really picked up the ball this year as we had to change the conference plan completely from being an in person event to an online event. OE is the person who leads the whole conference planning activity and as always did a great job but really the whole team, Marcella, Luna, Susan, you're I just did an incredible job of the tech side of things especially. Well, lots of different parts but I really feel like the contribution you're right to the scheduling part of what took place in OEG connect and all of the support for the tech side of things is just great. Awesome job for communicating. Mario great job on that on the design and Karen for finance and Liz also did a really fantastic work on the zoom side of things so thank you. You guys Christina and Alan also really fantastic Alan especially for designing OEG connect. That was a pivotal piece for our online experience this year and something a bit experimental I feel and and as usual Alan imbued it with his such friendly character and carrying character and I really feel like people experienced that and and felt welcome. I think the kindness and care that was expressed at this year's conference was really touching and moving and people could feel it. I also had a huge number of small for us, a lots of sponsors this year and so it's always great to have sponsors and I really feel like, including the sponsors in the program and giving them an opportunity to speak this year. And it really, you know, a substantive way was it really worked out there was a lot of interest in the sponsors sessions. And I found it fascinating to hear what everybody's working on in terms of services and products and things for the open education space. Just quickly here's some rough numbers of what took place at the conference this year we had about a little over 730 registrants from across 43 countries. 67 presenters from 36 countries so we really do end up having very nice kind of global coverage and global global representation of what's taking place around the world and open education. I'm delighted to have 60 students participate this year it feels to me like the student presence in open education global activities is increasing. Interestingly, from my perspective to is like 75% of the people were first time attendees and it feels to me like doing this conference in an online fashion, enabled a lot more people to participate who perhaps wouldn't have been able to if we had done it in person. There were 183 sessions over the four days so not including this past day there were already 43,500 page views inside OEG connect so the activity taking place there is really significant both from people who were registered to participate in the conference and you may not have realized it but the whole conference was visible to people who hadn't registered they just couldn't post a reply they couldn't actively engage their voice in what was taking place but they could see what was taking place and so there was both internal activity within OEG connect and also from the outside. Lots of sessions, all of the sessions that were live and synchronous were recorded. So we have over 55 hours of videos that are on a huge array of open education topics. And sharing with my colleagues earlier that I've heard a few people talking about doing what they're calling almost like a film fest or a view fest where they agree to meet as a group, spend a couple of hours, each individually looking at whatever session recordings were recorded in, and then convening in like a zoom room to talk about what they saw what they watched what they learned. And I love that idea of actually making use of what took place in the conference after the conference is actually over, and kind of mining the rich images that were produced during the conference for further meaning and understanding from our side that about over 9000 emails sent over the last 30 days as we tried to get everyone as we tried to get everyone into the into the platform, and to get their session and during the week. Well over 1300 tweets. I want to make this last point at the bottom this note I want to emphasize this note because this I feel is something significantly different about this year's conference. The fact is that the OEG global connect space is not going away. It persists and all of the resources all of the recordings, and even the conversations the dialogue and the opportunity for discussion will continue after the conference. I hope actually that the sessions that took place during the conference can serve as building blocks for for ongoing discussion. And we're going to open up all of OEG global connect to everyone. And then sort of take down the velvet rope says I was describing it, so that anyone can come into open to the open education global connect space and participate, not only around the sessions that took place during the conference but create new topics if they wish, and in further collaboration, we feel like this is a really exciting notion that the conference doesn't end it persists and the opportunity for ongoing connection is is there for anyone who wishes to engage in that over the coming months so we hope people will take advantage of that. I also want to highlight that. Well, there was a lot of focus on the formal program and the sessions which was incredibly rich. There was a lot of effort put into trying to create some fun activities for people to where we could get to know each other and learn a little bit about the different cultures around the world, whether it be through recipes or through postcards, or people sharing pictures of their pets which proved to be a hugely popular topic in the OEG connect space. And I just love the collegiality of all of that as people kind of enjoyed seeing their pets and sharing a little bit of their life from everywhere around I think this is a wonderful thing. This is work that Alan led in particular so thank you Alan I think that it really infuses the conference with this kind of personal touch that is so enriching, and I love that aspect of it. There will be a survey coming out in the next few days so Susan's going to release that soon so that'll come out as an email. We really do this year was a bit of an experimental approach of course to the conference so we're really eager to get people's feedback on what they liked and what they didn't like so there. There's a survey that comes out to everyone by email so watch for that in your inbox and I know sometimes it can be like, Oh, I really don't want to fill up the server but we really would love to hear your feedback this year be super valuable because, of course we're thinking now about next year, and what we might what we might do next year what will our approach be what have we learned from this year, and how might it affect what we do next year. And with that, let me say that next year's conference is being hosted at the University of Nantes, which is so fantastic thank you to the University of not team for for being interested in this and for stepping forward. I'm going to place on the fifth to the 7th of October. And with that I'm going to stop sharing and turn the mic and sharing screen over to Colin, who is here with us today to share a little bit more about what the thinking is for next year's conference. I want to say that you can see at the very bottom of this slide that in the OEG connect space there's a section in the announcements area about the hosting of the conference next year by University of not where where more information is available and where we'll continue to kind of provide additional information, but let me stop sharing and turn it over to you Colin. Right, this should be working. Can you see my screen. Okay. Good morning. Good afternoon. Good evening. I think I've never said for all three of the same time being quite appropriate in saying the same thing. Well, so I'm calling like era. I'm from the University of Nantes, and I'm very, very pleased to say a few words here. I should say that. I would like the video to work better. So anyhow, the video is the same video that is on the website so if it doesn't work that well you will be able to see it when you want. So the, so I'm very pleased to be here even if when I'm in a conference and there's the talk about next year's conference I always feel it's, it's sort of unreasonable that they're already talking about the next one when we're just enjoying the one way and I think it's even sometimes a bit unfair towards the people who've organized it. So, so yes, I'd like to join you all in saying bravo to the organizers they must have had a tremendously difficult job and when I look at the quantity of, of exchanges of information of talks of this of that and the other. I'm actually quite petrified about about about organizing the next event. Can I can I have it back. So, as it was said, Nantes in France, France has never hosted open education global or open education consortium or the way it was called before. So, so it's quite it's quite something it's quite something we're very happy about and so it's going to be quite important also for us in France to move forward the agenda. As you may know, there was even a satellite event last week, where a number of people in France started getting a little bit more interested than they used to be in the topic. It doesn't mean that this is an event for France this is a global event and we're taking very seriously though, I think what did you say 43 different countries represented in between the participants, and we'll do everything we can to be able to have you there you can see on the images that not is a French city with visiting with a lot of the things that you would expect to find in France and nice foods, some nice places to go and visit. The conference is is well organized you can nearly get everywhere a walking distance from the hotel to the sites to the conference hall to the restaurants. So that's going to be easy, plus the town hall is offering all the participants voucher to just travel freely around town during the days of the conference. So that's going to be nice. This is going to be co chaired by my colleague, but I'm Karen Bernaud who is not with me today because she's a very busy lady she is the president or the Chancellor of the university. That's important it means that through her we're going to be able to again push the gender forward in in France. And I think that's that matters a lot. We're going to be wanting to do we're certainly going to be wanting to take example from what happened this year. And even if we do hope we can have everybody in not, we actually also have noticed that a lot of things can happen online. And I wrote a read in the, in the chat a few minutes ago somebody saying, ooh, great that was online because I'm not sure I would be able to afford to travel. For these people we want to go for something we could call an augmented conference. So one where we would have a lot of things happening in this place that you are seeing images of here, which is the set of auditoriums and the city but we would also be live streaming and sharing online in direct what is happening. There's a lot of infrastructure to have but I've noticed that education global has got a number of people they extremely competent. So we will all work together for this to work out. What are we going to try and sort of support as main choices one which is important to me is multilingualism. From France is a French speaking country and it's always a very big issue the business of the Francophonie do not worry the conference will not be in French. I mean there will be some words said in French you always have to have that in the country that is receiving you, but we would be trying to push multilingualism it is very important that people can learn in all the languages. We are not in artificial intelligence and we are, and I find that there are more and more dominant resources in just one language so we must be able to find ways for all the we are of all the languages to to sort of be as visible as possible. The second big issue is the one of the augmented conference so I've said this which going to try and sort of handle the two things at the same time. And the third big value I'd like to promote, but I know it's already been promoted this time is the dynamic coalition. I worked hard as an OER chair to help get the OER recommendation adopted last year by UNESCO. And now it's essentially gets adopted by the different countries. So that I believe is the big goal we want to have apart from the fact of teaching and sharing our resources. And so those are the elements we will want to be pushing and seeing what can we do. In my case for this to be adopted in France but also to help every one of you get the recommendation adopted in your own country. So that is all I had to say I just look really forward to seeing all of you. I mean I heard that there were 75% of newcomers, but I looked who was present now and I recognize most of the names. So I feel, I feel that I've been cheated out of there the 75%. So, well, that's it. I'll see you next year in North and thanks for listening. Thank you, Colin. And yeah, if you stop your screen share, I would just like to open the floor to invite our co hosts and host to say a few words as part of the closing so perhaps Marianne and Dave might want to make a few remarks and then we'll move to to Lena and then to Bea and Willem. Marianne, Dave. Okay. Thank you for everyone participating in this conference, especially our co host to your doubt, Willem and Bea, and then the Lena from the Ontario. Yeah, so yeah, we can we cannot do it without you because yeah for our program that's there are so many programs, and it's running almost 24 hours a day almost. Yeah, it's like 22 hours a day. So it's almost 24 hours a day. So that's really amazing. And also thank you all the OEG staff. You are wonderful. Yeah, you get it. You have so many support on this event. Thank you very much. And I'm glad that we can host this event virtually. Yeah, it's pretty that you cannot come to Taipei, but maybe sometime in the future. Thank you very much. Dave, do you want to make a few remarks? Yeah. Thank you. First, Marianne one give me such a good job for the whole year. This is my first time. I'm glad to mention you. Yeah, you are very important. Thank you very much. But without Kazoo and Igor also Paul give me a good recommendation, then I can make the whole program successfully. Thank you. And I learned a lot from you. Thank you very much. Yeah. Yeah. Lena. Paul, it's just so nice to be here with you all to close out what was a really just such a dynamic week. So many, so many new faces so many, so many people who are core to the community coming together. And I think, you know, what became so clear to all of us is that we were really reinvigorated in the importance of the work. The importance of the work for this particular time and place that we're, we're living in across the whole world and there's just some things so special about an international conference that's focused. So, it was just been such a pleasure to be involved. The OEG team is just always what a high functioning group of individuals Wow, just incredible. And then, you know, Bea and Willem, Dave and Marion, you know, the co hosting with you has been just such a joy I'm so so glad that Ontario any camps in Ontario was able to contribute so Colin I really look forward to showing up in France here and and enjoying some of that delicious coffee featured in your video. I'm really looking forward to that so let's keep up the good work in OEG connect in the meantime, and thank you Alan for creating that space I think it's going to live and and have just so much energy behind it. And for, for many months to come it'll get us through, you know, the next, the next stage that before we get reinvigorated in nonce once again. Thanks Lena. And for me it's, it's been an absolute pleasure. And there's one thing I can say Colin is don't worry about anything because these guys got your back, whatever happens these guys are here and they never let you go they never let you fall and that's that's what makes it so fantastic. And the other thing for me is what I was saying earlier to Paul, it's like, I know we are online and I know we are missing the beers and hugs and all that, but it's never been easier to actually cast somebody because you know what they are all the time you just have to go to their page and OEG connect and leave a message in there. So that's for me something that we, we should not leave behind us as we move forward, you know, because some of the times you say I'll catch you later and then you never catch them later because you can find them again. But on this occasion, they were in OEG connect. So, you know, that's good. No way to find them. Thanks so much. Thank you so much. Yes. So I think Bayer said most things as a co-host but I also want to say as president of the boards that I think it was, it was an amazing experience, and that we've had here. We first were planning on going to Taiwan but and I still like to go and visit you. But I think we've set a really great conference here and really organized a conference that is truly delivering to our mother of really openness with so many new participants, really the connect platform that opens up, publishing the message so shortly after they're done and all on YouTube available for anyone to look at. And I think that's really strong message that we're delivering. And that's also something that I would like to see that we can continue in the future. So that will be an interesting discussion of how we are going to organize that. Thank you all. Thanks to all the staff and all the people that are involved. I know how much work this is to organize a conference and thank you very much and then please take the weekend off. Thank you. Last group to have any opportunity to say a few words is just the OEG staff if any of you would like to make some remarks please do so now. I don't feel like you have to but I would like to include you in this closing and hear anything that you'd like to say maybe we could start with Igor. Thank you, Paul. I'm going to try to keep it short. I think, you know, this is wonderful event. Thank you. It was when we were kind of communicating on Sunday I said that, you know, after like a year of strategizing and planning and then all of a sudden uncertainty as a result of this pandemic we had to re-plan and re-strategize and basically transition to a completely online format and what really came out of this process has been quite remarkable. And the collaboration with our co-hosts and hosts and just how everything really worked out throughout the week like kudos to the entire team, really well done. Thank you for everything that you have been doing along the way. And thank you to all of the attendees that have been who have been actively participating in the sessions in OEG Connect. And so it has been a wonderful experience and really looking forward to the next year's conference. So thank you all. Thanks Igor. Alan, would you like to say something? So, everybody said all just thanks to the team. Thanks to everybody. I had high expectations and this certainly exceeded everything on all levels so onward to next year. Yorai, Susan, Marcella, Christina, Mario. I just want to say it was definitely a group event. I know we have a fantastic team that works together extremely well but this was definitely a community event. Couldn't have done it without anybody in this room and we just had so much support. It's just amazing to me. I just lived up, exceeded my expectations as well and Colin, we look forward to hopefully seeing you next year. Yorai, I'd love to hear from you. You did so much work. Yeah, I mean I think we, for me, my side, I think we all learned a lot and kind of like doing this two years ago would be unthinkable but now it's like a new standard and it's like at least show that it's possible. And I'm super excited about what the future brings for all of our open conferences. Great. Excellent. Marcella, Christina, Mario. I added my chat but I just want to say a huge thank you to the team. This was a great project to jump into as a new employee and a new member of the team. And a huge thank you to our co-hosts as well. And wear a mask and stay safe because I need hugs and I want hugs next year. Thank you. And me too. I was typing my thank you. Thank you all. It's amazing to be part of this team and now with the co-host and seeing how everything is coordinating. It's just a pleasure to work with all this fascinating group and the presenters as well and seeing people coming and going. And doing the multilingual thing Colin, muchas gracias a todos. Veo muchos que hablan español por aquí. Yeah, just a big big thank you. I feel energized and full of love and joy to keep on going. Anyone else want to make some remarks we have, of course, some of the presenters and others who participated last call if you'd like to say something you're welcome to we can just grab the mic. We have Leo here. They have also just recently, well a couple of hours ago joined launch new guidelines. So cheers to that Leo and the team. Was that a beer? Sadly, I've only got a coffee here. You've got the paradise speech it looks like. Beautiful surroundings. Okay. Thanks. Thanks everyone so much. Let's just bring this closing to a close. I'll say, while we're closing this year's conference of course we're we're looking forward to the coming year and to continuing to engage with all of you in this work. And, and I love Marcelo's comments about the joy and the experience of kind of the collegiality and the camaraderie amongst all of us that are part of this community I think it's a fantastic global community, and we're delighted to be part of it. See you next week. See you Monday for most of my team. And then for many of you I do hope to be seeing you in person hugs and sessions over dinner and wine and cheese and not sounds like a must. Until then, bye everyone. Thank you so much for this year's conference. Bye bye.