The Library is thrilled and honoured to announce that the PolyU Open Educational Resources (OER) Portal has been shortlisted as a finalist for the Open Education Awards for Excellence 2026 in the Open Practice ("How We Share") category. Presented annually by Open Education Global (OEGlobal), these awards recognize outstanding achievements within the global open education community.

Selected from over 200 nominations across 49 countries, the PolyU OER Portal stands out by transforming traditional search strategies through OlivER, an innovative AI chatbot assistant. Unlike conventional repositories, the Portal employs a unique three-way crowdsourcing model—uniting librarians as architects, instructors as producers, and students as co-curators—to address critical gaps in specialized disciplines like Design and Fashion. This recognition highlights PolyU’s commitment to advancing educational equity and student success through community-driven, intelligently curated digital infrastructure.