" ITREALMS: Virtual University online debate takes off

Thursday, October 27, 2005

Virtual University online debate takes off

The United Nations Education, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO)-organised Virtual University online debate took off Monday, on Open Educational Resources (OER) and would last till Friday, December 2.

The debate being coordinated by the International Institute for Educational Planning (IIEP) an auspices of UNESCO, heralds a six-week forum on "OER: Open Content for Higher Education," which is expected to involve over 400
individuals from over 80 countries.

Information available to ITREALMS, indicated that the initial five-day session would serve as an overview focusing on the importance and benefits of using OER in higher education around the world; identification of some issues, problems and barriers that confront the further development and expanded use of OER.

First session of the debate to be moderated by Dr. Sally Johnstone of the Western Cooperative for Educational Telecommunications in the United States, set the stage for an anticipated in-depth discussions.

The discuss would have a weekly topics to be introduced and is scheduled to provide some in roads into the current state of operations, acceptance as well as the way forward for virtual university as envisioned by UNESCO under IIEP, mostly in developing countries by the time it would come to a close.

IIEP's mission is to strengthen the capacity of countries to plan and manage their education systems so as to achieve the goal of education for all by forming training partners and managers in skills to analyze and plan, manage and implement, monitor and evaluate.

It would also support institutions and improving administrative routines, organization, leadership skills, while fostering an enabling environment through policy forums, international co-operation and networking.

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