University of the Philippines Open University (UPOU) Chancellor, Dr. Melinda dela Peña Bandalaria joins the kick-off meeting of the International Council for Open and Distance Education (ICDE) Global Advocacy Campaign (GAC) for Open, Flexible and Distance Learning (OFDL) Working Groups. Dr. Bandalaria co-chairs the ICDE GAC Asia Task Force with Prof. Dato Dr. Ansary Ahmed, Founder President of the Asia e University (AeU).
The kick-off meeting was held online, via Zoom, on 27 June 2022. Five working groups have been identified for this initiative — Policy, Capacity Building, Sharing Best Practices and Resources, Development of Digital Platform, and Future Collaboration.
The meeting was opened by Prof. Dato Dr. Ahmed, followed by the welcome remarks of ICDE Secretary-General, Ms. Torunn Gjelsvik. Dr. Bandalaria and Prof. Dato Dr. Ahmed introduced the working groups and team members, as well as the objective of each working group.Time was devoted for the discussion among each working group and the kick-off meeting ended with the summary and way forward of both co-chairs.
Participants of the meeting include representatives from the UPOU, University of Hong Kong School of Professional and Continuing Education (HKU SPACE), Bangladesh Open University, Southeast Asian Ministries of Education Organization Secretariat, Virtual University of Pakistan; Asia e University Malaysia, Anadolu University, The Open University of Sri Lanka, Open University of China, Open University of Japan, Sukhothai Thammathirat Open University, Universitas Terbuka, Mehr Alborz Institute of Higher Education and HELP University Malaysia.
Chancellor Bandalaria was joined by the UPOU’s team which includes Dr. Myra C. Almodiel, Director of the UPOU Office of Public Affairs and Assistant to the Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs for Instruction and Special Projects, participating under Working Group 4 (Development of Digital Platform); and Ms. Margaret Jarmin-Surarez, University Researcher I and Program Development Associate for International Linkage, as part of Working Group 2 (Capacity Building).
The ICDE GAC enables ICDE members to develop deeper understanding of regional challenges and construct key OFDL messaging within organized working groups around the world. For information on this advocacy, visit the ICDE Website.
Written by Anna Cañas-Llamas
Edited by Myra C. Almodiel and Margaret Jarmin-Suarez
#UPOpenUniversity
