Dr. Melinda dela Peña Bandalaria, Chancellor of the UP Open University (UPOU) and President of the Asian Association of Open Universities (AAOU), will be one of the speakers in the International Conference on Open and Distance eLearning (ICODeL2018) to be held on 26-28 November 2018 at the Garden Villa Hotel, Kaohsiung, Taiwan. ICODEL2018 is organized by the UPOU, the National University of Kaohsiung, the Open University of Kaohsiung, the UPOU Foundation, Inc. (UPOUFI), and the Philippine Society for Distance Learning (PSDL).
Dr. Bandalaria will bring to the conference her expertise and experience from more than 20 years of academic leadership in an open and distance e-learning institution. She served as an Assistant Dean of the UPOU School for Distance Education – Los Baños, and eventually became a Professor for Development Communication, and Dean of the Faculty of Information and Communication Studies (FICS) of UPOU.
Dr. Bandalaria has also held administrative posts in the same institution such as Director for the Office of Student Administration, and served as University Registrar. Dr. Bandalaria is a staunch advocate of democratizing access to quality education for the vulnerable sectors of the society which led to numerous public service works and researches which aim to serve lifelong learners by enabling their socio-economic transformation, and contribute to the country’s progress and to the sustainable development goals.
ICODeL2018, the third in the series of biennial conferences, will provide a forum for distance learners and practitioners to explore and create possibilities for open, distance and e-learning for development as well as to reflect and share on experiences. Focusing on the theme “Technology-Enhanced and Inclusive Education in the Digital Age,” this year’s conference will discuss how technology can be tapped for quality education, and promote industry and academe partnership to develop leaders and professionals that can thrive in an open and rapidly changing world. To participate, visit icodel.org or email [email protected].
