CERI Eye: M-2009 World Conference on Open and Distance Learning

Dirk Van Damme reports back from the:

M-2009 World Conference on Open and Distance Learning of the International Council for Distance Education (ICDE) and the European Association of Distance Universities (EADTU), 9-10 June 2009

I was invited to participate and give the final keynote speech at the M-2009 World Conference.

The conference itself, attended by some 500 participants representing almost all open and distance universities of the world, was a very interesting meeting. One of the highlights certainly was the presentation by Sam Pitroda, father of the technology boom in India and at present chair of the National Knowledge Commission of India, a body directly reporting to the Prime Minister. He presented the very impressive plans of India in the field of higher education and knowledge development, including the massive use of technology. The report of the NKC certainly is worth reading.

At the final session I gave a keynote presentation with the titel ‘Why 21st century education systems still need to be challenged’. Building on work in the directorate on higher education, the ‘Universities Futures’ project, the OECD Trends Shaping Education publication CERI-work on the Innovation Strategy, I sketched the economic, demographic and social challenges for higher education in OECD countries and I stressed the need of innovation for universities addressing these challenges. I demonstrated that open and distance education are innovating actors in the higher education systems by addressing asscess and equity issues and by introducing and applying innovative concepts and approaches to teaching and learning. I also discussed the impact of the crisis on higher education. In the community of open and distance education the work of CERI on open educational resources and innovation is much appreciated.

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