Dr. Ethel Agnes Pascua – Valenzuela, Director of Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organization Secretariat (SEAMEO Secretariat), is lined up as one of the plenary speakers for the upcoming 7th National Conference on Open and Distance eLearning (NCODeL 2022) on 23-25 November 2022. Dr. Valenzuela will be sharing her knowledge and expertise during the first plenary session on 23 November 2022, with the topic “Promoting Inclusion in Education”.
Dr. Valenzuela is the 18th Director of SEAMEO Secretariat,the first female SEAMEO Secretariat Director and the first Filipina to lead a regional organization in education, culture and science. Prior to this, she served as the first Woman Deputy Director for Programme and Development from 2015 – 2019. She has worked and advocated for programmes with various agencies including the Asian Development Bank (ADB), United Nations Children’s Fund East Asia and Pacific Regional Office (UNICEF – EAPRO), and United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Prior to joining SEAMEO Secretariat, Dr. Valenzuela served as Head/Senior Specialist (2006 – 2015) of Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organization – Regional Center for Educational Innovation and Technology (SEAMEO INNOTECH), one of the three SEAMEO regional centers. Preceding her SEAMEO positions, Dr. Valenzuela also served as Education Commissioner of UNESCO National Commission from 2000 to 2010, Director IV at the Commision on Higher Education from 2000 to 2006, and Chief Education Programme Specialist at CHED International Affairs Services from 1995 to 2000.
Dr. Valenzuela’s expertise lies on educational policy research specifically in the areas of internationalization of education, transnational and distance education as well as teacher education. She has published numerous international and local articles, journals, technical reports and guidelines for some SEAMEO and other international organizations such as UNESCO, UNICEF, CHED and DepED. Apart from her executive positions, Dr. Valenzuela also serves as a graduate school Professorial Lecturer at the Department of Educational Leadership and Professional Services, College of Education, at the University of the Philippines Diliman since 2006.
With the theme “Reimagining Education Futures”, NCODeL 2022 aims to provide a space for educational institutions in the sharing of ideas, experiences, and best practices in open and distance e-learning. To learn more about NCODeL 2022 and its featured speakers, visit the NCODeL 2022 website and official Facebook page.
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