"Rory McGreal and Fred Mulder have long been crucial pioneers in the development of open educational resources as UNESCO Chairs," says Christian M. Stracke, LINQ Conference Chair and international ISO Convener for learning quality from the University of Duisburg-Essen. "We will be honoured to greet them at LINQ 2013 and to learn from their professional and academic expertise. Likewise, Christian-Friedrich Lettmayer's familiarity with the inner workings of CEDEFOP will prove incredibly valuable to practically situate the newest research efforts submitted to LINQ 2013. We are certain that the discussion at LINQ 2013 will benefit enormously from their presence."

More than 150 researchers and practitioners have answered the LINQ 2013 call for papers and projects, and the contributions of the highest quality will make the Conference programme insightful and exciting. Early-bird registration at the reduced rate of €90 will remain open until 31 March. All interested parties active in the fields of new learning methods and design, technology-enhanced learning (TEL), quality standards and certification, human-resources development, competences and skills, digital resources, learning materials, and online collaboration and communities are encouraged to register for LINQ 2013 and take part in the continuing development of learning innovations and quality.

Overview of the important dates

• end of early-bird registration period (€90): 31 March 2013
• Conference programme ready: April 2013
• Conference date: 16 -17 May 2013