The ICDE Executive Committee invited Ms Pamela Walsh from Athabasca University to prepare an environmental scan of the key global trends in higher education, adult and distance learning.

Work on this began in 2008, and the final document was presented in January 2009.

The aim was to help ICDE better understand the context in which the organization is likely to find itself in over the coming years. The paper thus provides ICDE with a framework within which its strategic plan can be developed.