The Open University, supported by the Hewlett Foundation ($4.45M), is going to make learning materials freely available for use and reuse on the web. This continues the OU tradition of open broadcast of its television teaching materials.

The Open University will draw on its experience in supported open learning to provide an environment which contains both high quality learning materials and a range of learning support and informal community building tools. There will be one site that is primarily for learners, where material with suggested learning pathways will be offered. A second site will be primarily for other course creators; it will foster the concept of sharing and re-use of materials. Through the development of both sites the University plans to take open content delivery on to a new level. [The Open University : Open Content Initiative : OCI Press Release]

The mention of community building tools is interesting, as are the descriptions of the posts they want to fill in connection with the intiative.

I like the 'lightness' of the OU website.