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Open, distance and online learning is experiencing tremendous growth throughout the world. At the start of the 2010 academic year, nearly one-third of all students in higher education in the USA were taking at least one online course, according to a recent report. It is expected that over half of all students in the USA will study online by 2015.
This seminar, organized by ICDE and the Norwegian Association of Higher Education Institutions, in cooperation with Norway Opening Universities will discuss whether university leadership is ready for the digital future, as institutions combine their campus-based and online offerings. Can increased flexibility in learning situations help to meet the increase in student numbers and help to reduce dropout rates?
Open educational resources (OER) will also be on the agenda for this seminar, and discussions will be held on how they can be harnessed to help stimulate quality and innovation in education.
Aims of the seminar
- Obtain an overview of the major trends in Norway and globally regarding open, distance and online Learning
- Identify and understand the opportunities and impact created by excellence in distance learning, and opportunities and challenges in a more open world, including through open educational resources (OER)
- To exchange experiences and practices regarding leadership, strategies and organization in an increasingly open and online world
- To identify possible policy needs on a national and international level
Speakers
The seminar will be opened by Kyrre Lekve, State Secretary at the Ministry of Education and Research, Norway and speakers will include:
- Jarle Aarbakke, Rector, University of Tromso, Norway
- Tian Belawati, Rector, Universitas Terbuka, Indonesia
- Inga Bostad, Pro-Rector, University of Oslo, Norway
- Kristin Dahl, Board member, Norway Opening Universities
- Berit Kjeldstad, Pro-Rector, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Norway
- Mandla S Makhanya, Principal and Vice-Chancellor, University of South Africa
- Patrick McAndrew, The Open University, UK
- Frits Pannekoek, President, Athabasca University, Canada
- Yang Zhijian, President, The Open University of China
Registration
Registration is by invitation, and enquiries may be directed to the ICDE Secretariat.
ICDE and Norway
The Government of Norway has provided an annual grant to ICDE since 1988, and the country hosts the ICDE Secretariat. Members of ICDE's Executive Committee will visit Oslo at the end of February to take part in the constitutive meeting of the new ICDE Executive Committee.
27 January 2012
