The International Open and Distance Education Database was developed by the Education Research Institute of the Open University of China (OUC), with the aim of providing important information for the development of research and practices in international distance education.

It consists of five sub-databases, namely the International Distance Education Organisations Database, the International Distance Education Research Institutions Database, the International Distance Education Experts Database, the Global Open University Information Database, and the International Distance Education Periodicals Database.

The construction of the first phase of the Global Open University Information Database has been completed. Basic information about 14 open universities in Asia, Africa, America, Europe, and other regions of the world, including type of university, website, date of establishment, education purpose, education level and type, operating system, source of funding, number of staff, number of students, and honours achieved, was included in the database. The Global Open University Information Database has two main functions. The first is information query, through which users can query the basic information of 14 world open universities. The second is information retrieval. By selecting from a drop-down menu (for example, the type of the university, sources of funds, operating system, etc.) or inputting any word in the search box (e.g., doctorate, non-degree education, etc.), researchers can find corresponding information about 14 open universities around the world for comparative analysis.

In the second phase of construction, the World Open University Information Database will be further improved and used as a template to complete the basic construction of the other four sub-databases (the International Distance Education Organisations Database, the International Distance Education Research Institutes Database, the International Distance Education Experts Database, and the International Distance Education Periodicals Database), in an effort to make basic information about international distance education organisations, institutions, experts, periodicals available to more researchers.