OERizona Network, Including UAGC, Named Finalist in 2025 Open Education Awards for Excellence
October 27, 2025
[Chandler, AZ, October 27, 2025] – The OERizona Network, a collaboration of 15 Arizona colleges and universities including the University of Arizona Global Campus (UAGC), has been named a finalist in the 2025 Open Education Awards for Excellence, which recognize global leadership in advancing open and affordable learning.
The OERizona Network is a statewide alliance dedicated to increasing educational equity and affordability by developing and sharing openly licensed learning materials. Collectively, OERizona institutions saved Arizona students more than $8 million in textbook costs during the 2023–2024 academic year, including more than $1.2 million in savings at rural institutions.
At UAGC, faculty have expanded the use of open educational resources across numerous undergraduate and graduate courses, helping reduce costs and improve access for working-adult learners.
“This recognition underscores the powerful collaboration happening across Arizona’s higher-education community to make learning more affordable and accessible for every student,” said Gary Packard, senior vice provost for Online Initiatives at the University of Arizona. “UAGC is honored to be part of the OERizona Network and to contribute to a statewide model that’s transforming the cost and quality of higher education.”
The OERizona Network was named a finalist in the “Open Practices / How We Share” category for its innovation in scaling OER adoption and sharing best practices across institutions of all sizes and missions. Network members include: Yavapai College, Cochise College, The University of Arizona, Maricopa Community College District, Northland Pioneer College, Northern Arizona University, Arizona Western College, Pima Community College, The University of Arizona Global Campus, Mohave College, Tohono O’odham Community College, Coconino Community College, Arizona State University, and Central Arizona College.
Founded through the Open Maricopa / Maricopa Millions project and expanded by the Open Textbooks for Rural Arizona initiative, a $2 million U.S. Department of Education grant-funded program, the OERizona Network continues to advance statewide efforts to reduce educational barriers and promote student success.
The Open Education Awards for Excellence, organized by Open Education Global since 2011, honor outstanding contributions that promote open sharing, collaboration, and innovation in education worldwide.
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