Announcement from His Excellency Danny Faure, Chair of the Board of Governors, Commonwealth of Learning:

It is my pleasure as the Chair of the Board of Governors of the Commonwealth of Learning to announce that after an exhaustive global search Professor Peter Scott will be taking up the role of President and Chief Executive Officer of the Commonwealth of Learning as of 8 January 2024.

Professor Scott brings a distinguished track record and considerable credibility as a senior executive, thought leader and scholar over a 40-year career in the field of open and distance learning. His qualifications combined with extensive senior and executive leadership experience will build on the work of previous Presidents to advance the aims of the Commonwealth of Learning (COL) and its member nations from across the Commonwealth. Professor Scott notes that “…my entire working career has focused on a mission to open quality education to all learners at all stages of their learning journey. I am driven by a passion for the positive change and outcomes that are created by excellent learning at all levels and am excited by the opportunity that technology provides to enable new forms of access…I have immense respect for Professor Kanwar’s extraordinary leadership and passion for education. I will be building upon a great legacy of ongoing impact.”

As Chair, I also take this opportunity to thank Professor Asha Kanwar who has led the organisation for over 11 years to critical acclaim. Her achievements and ability to build relationships and drive programmes of real impact for women, girls and many others across the Commonwealth is something that the Board is immensely proud of.

It is likely that her leadership of the small team at COL has touched hundreds of thousands of people and made a real difference in improving the livelihoods of those most in need. We will all miss Professor Kanwar and wish her well in her future endeavours. Professor Kanwar is quoted as saying “I have been proud to have served those who most needed our support to access education and as new technologies become more accessible, it is my hope that COL will continue to innovate and drive access. I wish Professor Scott well in his tenure as the President and CEO.”  Her contribution has been vast and this acknowledgement does not do justice to her commitment and dedication. We thank Professor Kanwar for all that she has done for COL and more broadly across the Commonwealth.

Whilst we will be sad to be saying farewell to Professor Kanwar at the end of this year, I am sure many across our communities will know of and be reassured that Professor Scott will more than capably take the organisation forward, and will join with me in welcoming and celebrating his appointment as the next President and CEO of COL.

Media inquiries, please contact:
Dave Jackson, Communications Manager, COL
Phone: +1 604 775 8263