E-learning groups representing Europe and the Americas have drawn up a set of common standards for quality in their sector.

The standards, called the Open eQuality Learning Standards (Open eQLS) have been agreed by representatives of the European Institute for E-Learning www.EifE-L.org (EIfEL) and the Learning Innovations Forum, known as Lifia www.LIF-FIA.org representing the Americas.

Serge Ravet CEO of EIfEL said: "We have seen a tremendous demand in European e-learning projects for a set of comprehensive quality standards that connect to other e-learning standards being developed around the world. The Open eQls meet this demand."

The Open eQLs are open industry standards.

Providers, consumers and researchers are all free to use them non-commercially, and contribute to their continued development.

They will be protected by a Community Commons copyright license. A committee, the Joint equality Committee created jointly by EIfEL and Lifia and chaired by Dr Kathryn Chang Barker, Chairperson of Lifia will hold the pen on the standards.

"A key part of the e-learning quality equation is return on investment in e-learning," Dr Barker said. "ROI measurement is built into the Open eQLs which will make them extremely valuable."

The Joint eQuality Committee is set to meet in September to set out a strategy for the continued development of the Open EQLs and their worldwide use and protection.