The Open Source Initiative (OSI) actively promotes open source software by educating developers, decision-makers, and users about the advantages of open source software and collaboration techniques. OSI’s members are active in the core open source development communities as well as in government, academic, and industry circles, helping to educate people about open source. As part of its mandate on education, OSI members deliver presentations about open source technologies, collaboration techniques, and community building at conferences and seminars across the world. OSI Board members and individual members have also conducted workshops as well as short and long courses on open source concepts, techniques, and technologies.
Courses and Seminars
Open Source Technology Management: The OSI has partnered with Brandeis University’s Graduate Professional Studies division (GPS) to provide online educational opportunities in Open Source Technology Management. As more companies leverage open source software to reduce costs, decrease time to deployment, and foster innovation, the organizations that have realized success as open source consumers are now extending their participation within open source communities as collaborators and contributors. This shift can create new challenges to traditional business processes and models, requiring dedicated policies, programs, and personnel to ensure that the investments in open source projects produce the desired benefits while still aligning with the values of the open source communities. The Brandeis GPS-OSI partnership will help address the growing demand for expertise within organizations seeking to authentically collaborate with and productively manage open source resources.