Here are some of the confirmed highlights:
Keynote speakers
Brenda Gourley (Vice-Chancellor, Open University, United Kingdom)
Barney Pityana (Vice-Chancellor, UNISA, South-Africa)
Sarah Guri-Rosenblit (Open University of Israel)
Manuel Castells (Universitat Oberta de Catalunya, Spain)
Sam Pitroda (Chair, National Knowledge Commission, India)
Rick Harwig (CTO, Royal Philips Electronics)
Peter Sloep (Open Universiteit Nederland, The Netherlands)
Terry Anderson (Athabasca University, Canada)
Andy Lane (Open University, United Kingdom)
Barney Pityana (Vice-Chancellor, UNISA, South-Africa)
Sarah Guri-Rosenblit (Open University of Israel)
Manuel Castells (Universitat Oberta de Catalunya, Spain)
Sam Pitroda (Chair, National Knowledge Commission, India)
Rick Harwig (CTO, Royal Philips Electronics)
Peter Sloep (Open Universiteit Nederland, The Netherlands)
Terry Anderson (Athabasca University, Canada)
Andy Lane (Open University, United Kingdom)
Georges Haddad (Director of the Division of Higher Education, UNESCO)
Keynote panellists
Susan Aldridge (President, University of Maryland University College, USA)
Tan Sri Dato' G Dhanarajan (Vice-Chancellor, Wawasan Open University, Malaysia)
Ian Goulter (Vice Chancellor, Charles Stuart University, Australia)
Stavros Panagiotis Xanthopoylos (Dean of FGV Online, Brazil)
Kendrick Mclish (Vice-President Product and Strategy, Pearson)
Tan Sri Dato' G Dhanarajan (Vice-Chancellor, Wawasan Open University, Malaysia)
Ian Goulter (Vice Chancellor, Charles Stuart University, Australia)
Stavros Panagiotis Xanthopoylos (Dean of FGV Online, Brazil)
Kendrick Mclish (Vice-President Product and Strategy, Pearson)
Gordon Freedman (Vice President Education Strategy, Blackboard)
Luca Paderni (Head of Education Initiatives EMEA, Google)
Luca Paderni (Head of Education Initiatives EMEA, Google)
The keynote panels will be moderated by John O'Brien, Manager Media Relations at Athabasca University and formerly with CBC
Newsworld, Canada.
Opportunities for live interaction
During the plenary sessions, it will be possible for the audience to submit questions to the keynote speakers or to the panel
through a chat facility on the conference website. This applies to both webcast viewers around the world, and the audience
in the auditorium, who will also have the opportunity to ask questions orally.
Parallel sessions highlighting developments in individual countries and regions within:
o Open Educational Resources (OER)
o Virtual Mobility
o Quality Assurance (including Recognition, Accreditation, Certification)
o Technology Enhanced Learning
o Learner Support Services
o Teacher Training
o Employability
o Cultural Diversity
o Breaking Barriers - Widening Participation through Distance Education
o Virtual Mobility
o Quality Assurance (including Recognition, Accreditation, Certification)
o Technology Enhanced Learning
o Learner Support Services
o Teacher Training
o Employability
o Cultural Diversity
o Breaking Barriers - Widening Participation through Distance Education
o Removing Constraints - Institutional Challenges within Distance Education
o International Cooperation and Development
o International Cooperation and Development
o Language Learning
o Assessing Students
o Building and Using Virtual Learning Environments
o Enhancing Communication in Virtual Learning
o M-Learning
o Institutional Case Studies and Strategies
o Assessing Students
o Building and Using Virtual Learning Environments
o Enhancing Communication in Virtual Learning
o M-Learning
o Institutional Case Studies and Strategies
Pre-conference workshops
Two interesting workshops are planned as part of the pre-conference programme on Sunday, 7 June: Serious games in Higher Education by Henk van den Brink and Rob Nadolski and Mobile Learning by Christian Glahn, Stefaan Ternier and Marcus Specht.
Please see the conference website for further details and information on how to register and pay the workshop fee of EUR 75.
We look forward to meeting you at the 23rd World Conference in the beautiful city of Maastricht!
22 May 2009
