Bernard Loing is one of the main French experts in Information and Communication Technology, and its applications to education and training at all levels, with special reference to the field of open and distance learning (ODL).

Born in France, Bernard graduated in English Language and literature at the Ecole Normale Supérieure and later pursued  Graduate studies at La Sorbonne. In 1965 Bernard became University Professor in English Language and Literature and at the Universities of Caen and of Tours. As Director of the Languages Laboratory at Caen he approached educational technology for the first time. Later he founded and directed the Centre for Lifelong Education and Training in Languages in 1970.

From 1981 to 1985 Bernard became Deputy Minister of French Post and Telecommunications in a period of rapid growth and expansion of telecommunications in France, where new technology systems were implemented. He was also responsible for international affairs, traveling around the world in numerous missions representing the French industry within the world telecommunication networks and satellites companies.

Later he became Inspector General and CEO of French Post & Telecommunications Company for Overseas territories (1986-90). In this period, Bernard specialized in the application of information and communication technologies in the education field.

From 1990 to 1993, Bernard was the Rector of Centre National d'Enseignement à Distance-CNED, the largest Open and Distance Learning Center in Europe with 400 000 students. He introduced a number of changes towards developing the capacity of CNED in the educational technology sector.  After leaving CNED, Bernard continued working very actively in our field, as Member of the High Council for Information Technology from the Ministry of Industry and expert in Educational Technology; and then as President of ATENA, the French association for distance teaching institutions.

Bernard has been very actively in the international arena, and committed to bridge the distance between developing and developed countries. He founded and then was the President of the Canal EF, the digital satellite radio channel for French-speaking Africa launched under the umbrella of the Intergovernmental Agency for the Francophone countries. He was the Chairman of the Institute for Information Technology at the Francophone Agency and one of UNESCO’s top experts for the implementation and the applications of ICT in education and training.

Bernard has done and continues to do a priceless job for ICDE at UNESCO, and has been a very loyal friend first as ICDE Vice President for Europe then as Intergovernmental Liaison Officer and ICDE's General Delegate at UNESCO. He has engaged in a great number of activities representing ICDE, through a good number of years. Bernard is the President of the NGO Conference at UNESCO, a body which assembles about 350 NGOs with formal relations to UNESCO. He is also the President of the Liaison Committee, its executive  branch. Through seminars, workshops, travels, panels, task forces, and keynotes speeches, his active involvement has contributed enormously to strengthen ICDE's position as the global NGO UNESCO talks to when referring to educational matters.
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