My role today is to situate OERs in the context of the challenges that education and higher education confront today.// Education is sailing through stormy economic seas while above us the development of educational technology is flying ahead at supersonic speed. I shall explore the future of OERs today by discussing a dichotomy that is challenging governments and presenting a paradox that is confusing higher education. Both the dichotomy and the paradox are felt more keenly in some parts of the world than others, but they have policy implications everywhere.