ICDE is an NGO (non-governmental organization) having consultative status with UNESCO, and works together with UNESCO in the service of international cooperation and development.

Photo: Michel Ravassar

This status grants ICDE’s members a voice at UNESCO, while obliging ICDE to acquaint its members with UNESCO programmes activities and achievements pertaining to open and distance education. ICDE has been formally affiliated to UNESCO since 1967.

“Consultative partnership is designed to enable UNESCO to establish and maintain flexible and dynamic partnerships with any organization of civil society that is active in UNESCO’s fields of competence at whatever level, and to benefit from its expertise, the representativeness of its networks for the dissemination of information and, if appropriate, its operational capacities in the field.” (Source: UNESCO)

For details of ICDE's relations with UNESCO please click on the document image below and see the UNESCO section of the ICDE website.

Policy engagement

ICDE’s voice at UNESCO is assured through involvement in policy debate. At the 2009 UNESCO World Conference on Higher Education, ICDE President, Frits Pannekoek, President of Athabasca University, Canada and the ICDE Secretary General helped to form the final communiqué. It stated that approaches such as open and distance learning (ODL) and information and communications technologies (ICTs) are required to realize the goals of Education for All (EFA), and to address the worldwide shortage of teachers.

“ODL approaches and ICTs present opportunities to widen access to quality education, particularly when Open Educational Resources are readily shared by many countries and higher education institutions.” (Source: www.unesco.org/en/wche2009)

General Delegate at UNESCO

ICDE is supported in its work by Dr. Bernard Loing, ICDE’s General Delegate at UNESCO, who is also President of the International Conference of NGOs for the period 2010-2012. His position brings ICDE tremendous insight in the workings of UNESCO, and a broad network of contacts within the organization.

SEAMEO

ICDE also has a highly active membership base in Asia, and the organization is duly proud of its status as affiliate member of the Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organization (SEAMEO), recognizing ICDE’s willingness to promote cooperation among Southeast Asian nations through education, science and culture. Please see further information on ICDE's partnership with SEAMEO.