BCcampus is pleased to share the recipients of the 2025 BCcampus Open Education Institutional Grants: the British Columbia Institute of Technology, Simon Fraser University, and the University of the Fraser Valley. We received an incredible response to this call for proposals with applications from 19 B.C. post-secondary institutions. The purpose of the one-year, $33,000 institutional grant is to help support open education initiatives and programs at each institution.
The number and quality of the institutional grants we received was very high, which made adjudication both rewarding and difficult. In the end the adjudication committee felt that the three successful grantees all had the potential to bolster open education capacity at their institutions and build on existing open education strategic plans and visions already in place at their institutions.
–Clint Lalonde, director, Open Education, BCcampus
British Columbia Institute of Technology (BCIT)
Project leads: Rosario Passos, Learning & Teaching Centre, and Ian Linkletter, BCIT Library
The BCIT grant will be used to support the continued Open Education Grant program, and the implementation of a ZTC course marking and tracking system to clearly identify courses using open and free resources on the BCIT open website.
The BCIT application was well thought out, with a strong emphasis on enabling a Zero Textbook Cost (ZTC) course and program-marking strategy. Seen as an excellent use of institutional grant funds, the approach holds promise for wide impact at BCIT and could serve as a model for other institutions exploring similar course and program marking efforts.
–Grant adjudication committee
This funding will strengthen BCIT’s ongoing commitment to open education by expanding our Open Education Grant program and supporting the implementation of a ZTC course marking and tracking system. These initiatives not only enhance the visibility of open and free learning resources but also empower faculty to innovate in their teaching practices—ultimately reducing financial barriers and enriching the learning experience for our students.
–BCIT
Simon Fraser University (SFU)
Project leads: Hope Power, teaching & learning librarian, and Abeer Siddiqui, head of Learning & Engagement
The SFU grant will be used to provide release time for a librarian project lead to build out open education infrastructure. This includes developing a centralized point of contact and online support hub for open education initiatives at SFU, reviewing and making improvements in systems for tracking OER adoptions on campus, conducting an open education survey with students, and establishing an excellence in open education award.
The SFU application was built on a solid rationale, with the proposed initiatives directly responding to institutional open education research. The willingness to share findings beyond the institution and extend the potential impact and reach of the activities was also appreciated.
–Grant adjudication committee
With support from this BCcampus Open Education Institutional Grant, our SFU team is excited for the opportunity to develop and strengthen open education infrastructure on campus over the next year. This will enable us to streamline and enhance access to key resources and support services, highlight and celebrate local achievements, improve our systems for tracking OER usage, and gather input from students on the impacts of OER and OEP in the classroom. In addition, this work will foster cross-departmental collaborations that will have a lasting impact on our capacity to support and advance open education here at SFU.
–SFU
University of the Fraser Valley (UFV)
Project leads: Janelle Sztuhar, scholarly communication and copyright librarian, and Claire Hay, teaching & learning specialist (Curriculum and Assessment)
The UFV grant will also be used to fund an Open Education in Action initiative including funding an open education strategist position. The open education strategist’s primary responsibility will be to develop a UFV-wide open education strategy including an implementation plan for ZTC courses and programs. They will collaborate with faculty, departments, students, and UFV administration to develop a formal open education strategy and an open education website, as well as oversee two Open Education in Action student assistants to help build awareness about open education at the institution.
The UFV application builds on previous institutional research in open education and focuses on the development of institutional open education policies. The application also includes substantial in-kind contributions from the institution, along with significant student involvement and engagement.
–Grant adjudication committee
We are deeply grateful to BCcampus for their continued support and investment in open education. These grants empower educators and institutions to create accessible, inclusive, and culturally responsive learning resources that reflect the diverse needs of our students. This important work aligns with our shared commitment to equity and reconciliation in post-secondary education.
–Camille Callison, university librarian, University of the Fraser Valley
The BCcampus Open Education Institutional Grants are provided by the Ministry of Post-Secondary Education and Future Skills and will support open education activities at the funded institutions until March 2026.