AbstractCo‐production occurs when two or more institutions contribute funds and labour to the processes of making course components for distance teaching. The author summarises reasons for international co‐production of multimedia distance‐teaching courses and provides a checklist of questions that should be considered before entering upon such co‐production.The second half of the article consists of a composite case study based on the UK's Open University experience of international co‐production. The paper ends with three questions: Is international co‐production of this kind worth trying? Can the chances of success be made high enough by careful planning to justify risking capital in such ventures? Are other forms of collaboration more likely to be cos