This Forum Insight outlines the National Forum’s commitment to supporting open education principles, practices and policies in Irish higher education. In light of the growing development of open education across Europe and internationally, as well as the increasing urgency of supporting Irish higher education staff and students in an increasingly networked society, the need is clear. The National Forum Strategy 2019-21 includes a specific focus on supporting open education across all of our strategic priorities.
Through the inclusion of insightful provenances and case histories, students are taken on a journey back in time to learn not only from the original donors, but also from the physicians and anatomists who treated and prepared the specimen, offering fascinating insights into the healthcare systems and the education values of the time. Careful consideration was given to which specimens were to be showcased. Specifically, those over a hundred years old, without identifying features or sensitive features such as developmental anomalies.