Participants of the Standing Conference of Presidents 2010 recommend strategy to promote modern educational formats in university level
Hamdan Bin Mohammed e-University (HBMeU), a leader in the field of e-Learning in the Arab World, announced that it will continue its effective advocacy program that aims to promote on a larger scale Open and Distance Learning (ODL) in the government and private sectors, heeding the call of the International Council for Open and Distance Education (ICDE) for more proactive efforts by ICDE member institutions. Having been recognised as a new member of the ICDE, HBMeU further revealed that it participated in the ICDE Standing Conference of Presidents (SCOP) 2010 held recently in South Africa, where delegates from all over the world took part in discussions and debates about challenges in ODL.
SCOP is a specialised event that helps determine general policies at the university level, as it provides an ideal platform for chancellors of universities engaged in open and distance teaching to freely discuss a wide range of critical and extraordinarily sensitive subjects in a peer-to-peer environment. This year's SCOP focused on formal limitations on the use of non-traditional teaching formats and the need for improved teacher training and implementation of ODL to improve quality in this area.
Dr. Mansoor Al Awar, Chancellor of HBMeU, said: "The enduring challenges of open and distance learning are mainly related to prevailing negative public perceptions about non-traditional forms of teaching. We had a healthy and candid discussion at the ICDE Standing Conference of Presidents that helped identify strategies and concrete ways to address these issues and gain wide acceptance for open and distance learning. In this regard, HBMeU has reaffirmed its commitment to change people's approach and make them better understand how the public and the entire society can benefit from open and distance learning programs."
Organised with the theme "Bridging the Development Gap" and hosted by the University of South Africa (Unisa), ICDE SCOP 2010 served as a venue for policy-level decision makers to share information and expertise, establish benchmarks, develop inter-institutional cooperation, and determine policy advocacy directions. Attendance at SCOP 2010 was limited to no more than 100 chief executives.
ICDE is a network of 100 educational institutions worldwide working to promote open and distance learning, and provide opportunities for exchange of educational best practices between countries and regions. SCOP is an annual event organised by ICDE for high-level, confidential exchange of information, quality enhancement strategies and policy directions.
HBMeU is the first virtual university in the Arab World that was established with the vision to develop a new learning process through the implementation of teaching practices characterised by flexibility, quality and diversity to strengthen self-leadership among students and prepare them socially and academically for a future career through integration in the job market. HBMeU's philosophy is based on vital methods that have been developed through extensive research and development by specialists from all over the world. These methods include offering high quality programs, supporting the pursuit of lifelong learning, promoting the freedom of information, reinforcing the culture of excellence and innovation and providing education for everyone in line with the highest standards of comprehensiveness and credibility. The university seeks to constantly identify knowledge needs, support research and development programs and create an outstanding environment for e-learning.
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