COL speeches and presentations delivered in 2023

Skilling our Youth at Speed and Scale: Video presentation by Professor Asha Kanwar, President & CEO, Commonwealth of Learning, at the Africa TVET Regulators Conference, Nairobi, Kenya on 30 November 2023.

Technology Empowered Education – The Promise of AI: Video presentation by Professor Asha Kanwar, President & CEO, Commonwealth of Learning, at the Cyril Potter College of Education (CPCE) Graduation Ceremony, Guyana on 29 November 2023.

Mainstreaming Graduate Employability in Higher Education: The Role of ODL: Presented virtually by Professor Jane-Frances Agbu, Adviser: Higher Education, Commonwealth of Learning, to the Regional Training and Research Institute for Distance and Open Learning (RETRIDOL), November 24, 2023.

Elderly Learning in the Digital Age: Towards Empowerment: Presented by Professor Asha Kanwar, President & CEO, Commonwealth of Learning at the Zhejiang Open University, held on 16 November 2023. Co-written with Dr K Balasubramanian, former COL Vice President and Mr Ricky Cheng, Knowledge Services Manager, COL.

Video message by Professor Asha Kanwar accepting ICDE Honorary Membership at the ICDE World Conference 2023, Costa Rica, 10 November 2023.

Teacher Education through and for Distance Education: Riding the Wave, Avoiding the Undertow: Keynote address by Dr Tony Mays, COL Education Specialist: Open Schooling at the 29th ICDE World Conference in Costa Rica, 9 November 2023.

The Impact of AI & Digital Technology on Higher Education Quality and Workforce Development: Presented by Dr Venkataraman Balaji, COL Vice President at the Caribbean Area Network for Quality Assurance (CANQATE) Annual Conference, 24-26 October 2023, Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago. Organised by the University of Trinidad and Tobago.

Trends in Higher Education: Implications for Mongolia: Video presentation delivered by Professor Asha Kanwar, COL President & CEO to the First International Forum on Higher Education in Mongolia on 17 October 2023.

Realigning open and distance learning: The quest for employability in a digitally divided world: Online Keynote Address by Dr Jako Olivier, Advisor: Higher Education, Commonwealth of Learning presented at the International LET-IN 2023 Conference, Silliman University, Philippines held 7 October 2023.

Towards Innovation in Higher Education: Keynote address delivered by Professor Asha Kanwar, COL President & CEO to the Awards Ceremony for COL Skills for Work at the Higher Education Commission (HEC) Mauritius on 6 October 2023.

SDG’s and The Potential of Generative AI and Large Language Models: Enhancing the Effectiveness of Teaching and Research Support in Agricultural and Veterinary Universities: Presented by Dr Venkataraman Balaji, COL Vice President at 3rd International Conference of Agricultural Librarians and Users Community (ICALUC – 2023), “Agricultural Libraries And Sustainable Development Goals: The Way Forward”, on 5-6 October, 2023. Organized by Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana, Punjab and the Association of Agricultural Libraries and Documentalists Of India (AALDI).

Micro-credentials for ODL: Delivered by Dr Jako Olivier, COL Advisor: Higher Education at the High-level Roundtable for Vice-Chancellors and Senior Officials at the Open University of Mauritius on 4 October 2023. Co-written with Professor Jane-Frances Agbu, COL Adviser: Higher Education.

Generative AI and ODL: Delivered by Dr Jako Olivier, COL Advisor: Higher Education at the High-level Roundtable for Vice-Chancellors and Senior Officials at the Open University of Mauritius on 4 October 2023.

Opening Remarks: Delivered by Professor Asha Kanwar, COL President & CEO at the High-level Roundtable for Vice-Chancellors and Senior Officials at the Open University of Mauritius on 4 October 2023.

Future of Open Universities: Keynote delivered by Professor Asha Kanwar, COL President & CEO at the AAOU 36th Annual Conference, Istanbul, Turkey, on 28 September 2023. Co-written with Dr Sanjaya Mishra, COL Director: Education.

Flexible Digital Learning, Micro-Credentialing and Assessment Practices in the Commonwealth: Online keynote presentation delivered by Dr Sanjaya Mishra, COL Director: Education at the 48th International Association for Educational Assessment (IAEA) Conference in Kingston, Jamaica, on 25 September 2023.

Skilling our Youth: Role of Partnerships: Video presentation delivered by Professor Asha Kanwar, COL President & CEO at the Commonwealth Youth Ministers’ Meeting, London, United Kingdom on 13 September 2023.

Assessment and Evaluation for Gender Equity in ODL Provision in a Time of Generative AI: Webinar in collaboration with Botswana Open University, presented by Dr Tony Mays, Education Specialist: Open Schooling, Commonwealth of Learning (COL) and moderated by Dr Tommie Hamaluba, Botswana Open University, 8 September 2023.

Achieving Sustainability in Education: What will it take?: Plenary presentation delivered by Professor Asha Kanwar, COL President & CEO at the Tri-Conference: 5th International Conference on Open and Distance eLearning (ICODeL 2023), 1st International Symposium on Education and AI Convergence (ISEAC 2023) and ASEANnale 2023 on 22 August 2023.

Technology Empowered Educational Transformation: The Promise of AI: Presented by Professor Asha Kanwar, COL President and CEO at the Global Smart Education Conference 2023, Beijing, China on 20 August 2023.

Smart Education for Transforming Lifelong Learning: Keynote delivered by Professor Asha Kanwar, COL President and CEO at the Global Smart Education Conference 2023, Beijing, China on 18 August 2023.

Smart Education Policies and Strategies: Presented by Professor Asha Kanwar, COL President and CEO at the Global Smart Education Conference 2023, Beijing, China on 18 August 2023.

Opening Remarks: State Open University Vice Chancellors’ Forum: Opening remarks delivered by Professor Asha Kanwar, COL President & CEO at the State Open University Vice Chancellors’ Forum, organised by Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar Open University, Gujarat, India on 4 August 2023.

Shaping the Future of Teacher Education in Sub-Saharan Africa: Video presentation delivered by Professor Asha Kanwar, COL President & CEO at DETA Conference 2023, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda on 25 July 2023. Co-written with Dr Betty Ogange, COL Education Specialist: Teacher Education.

Putting Innovation at the Heart of ODL: What are the Possibilities?: Keynote address delivered by Professor Asha Kanwar, COL President & CEO at the International Conference on Open and Innovative Education, Hong Kong Metropolitan University on 4 July 2023.

Minister Welcome: Welcome remarks delivered by Professor Asha Kanwar, COL President & CEO at the COL Reception for the Honourable Harjit S. Sajjan, Minister of International Development and Minister responsible for the Pacific Economic Development Agency of Canada, in Vancouver Canada, on 28 June 2023.

Gender Green Teacher Programme Launch: Video presentation delivered by Professor Asha Kanwar, COL President & CEO to the National Institute of Open Schooling (NIOS) during the International Workshop on Adoption of the Green Teacher Programme in India on 27 June 2023.

Virtual Graduation Address: Assistive Technology for Special Education Needs (SEN): Address by Dr Mairette Newman, COL Education Specialist: VUSSC, delivered to the Organisation for Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) Virtual Graduation Ceremony: Assistive Technology for Special Education Needs, on 28 June 2023.

Towards a Framework for Open Schooling: Invited presentation by Dr Tony Mays, COL Education Specialist: Open Schooling, to a consultative meeting about the establishment of an open school by UNISA, South Africa on 29 May, 2023. Presentations were also made by Bangladesh Open University Open School and by Saide.

Building Workforce Resilience in Disruptive Times: Video presentation by Professor Asha Kanwar, COL President & CEO (co-written with Robert Okinda, COL Adviser: Skills) at the 6th International Conference on TVET in the Caribbean, 17 May 2023.

Commonwealth of Learning: Promoting Learning for Sustainable Development: Prepared by Professor Asha Kanwar, COL President & CEO for the Commonwealth Secretariat Annual Meeting of the Board of Governors, London, United Kingdom on 17 May 2023.

Rethinking Education for Innovation, Growth and Sustainability post Covid-19: Video presentation delivered by Professor Asha Kanwar, COL President & CEO to the Commonwealth Education Ministerial Action Group (CEMAG), 11 May 2023.

Connectivism, Self-Directed Learning, and MOOCs in Teacher Professional Development: Presented by Dr Betty Ogange, COL Education Specialist: Teacher Education, at the 10th Teaching and Learning Conference organised by the Africa Federation of Teaching Regulatory Authorities (AFTRA) on May 9 -12, 2023 in Namibia.

Reshaping Lifelong Learning for All: Keynote address delivered by Professor Asha Kanwar, COL President & CEO at the International Seminar on Digital Transformation Reshaping Lifelong Learning for All, Shanghai Open University, China on 20 April 2023.

Supporting Digital Transformation to Build Resilience: COL Experience: Presented by Dr Sanjaya Mishra, COL Director: Education at the UNESCO Global SIDS Dialogue Series on ‘Digital transformation in SIDS for building Resilience and Openness to external shocks including the impact of COVID-19 in education systems’, 4-5 April 2023, UNESCO, Paris.

Applying Benchmarking for Better Performance of Open Universities: Introductory remarks by Dr Sanjaya Mishra, Director: Education at the UNESCO IITE Webinar Series on Harnessing Technology to Transform Education held on 21 March 2023.

Roundtable on Building Resilience: Delivered by Professor Asha Kanwar, COL President & CEO at the Conference of Pacific Education Ministers (CPEM), Auckland, Aotearoa/New Zealand on 20 March 2023.

Technology, Innovation and Entrepreneurship, the Commonwealth of Learning Experience: Presented virtually by Frances Ferreira, COL Acting Director: Skills at the UN Women Commission on the Status of Women (CSW67) Side-Event Programme – Innovations for Gender Equality in and through Education in the Digital Age, March 16, 2023.

Technology-Enabled Learning (TEL) – Launching of Phase 2: Pre-recorded keynote address delivered by Professor Asha Kanwar, COL President & CEO at the Technology-enabled Learning (TEL) – Launching of Phase 2, Higher Education Commission, Mauritius on 9 March 2023.

International Women’s Day 2023: Message from Professor Asha Kanwar, COL President & CEO, 8 March 2023.

Towards Open University of Kenya: Models and Lessons from the Commonwealth: Presented by Dr Sanjaya Mishra, Director: Education, Commonwealth of Learning at the planning meeting organised by the Ministry of Education, Kenya on 5 March 2023.

Digital Education: Unlocking the Potential of Every Mind: Presented by Dr Sanjaya Mishra, Director: Education, Commonwealth of Learning at the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Digital Skills Taskforce Webinar organised by CARICOM and UNESCO, held in Kingston, Jamaica on 2 March 2023.

Open Schooling in the Commonwealth: Learning from Practice: Invited presentation by Dr Tony Mays, COL Education Specialist: Open Schooling, to the March 2023 World Education Summit, Learning 3.0: Empowering and Enabling Education, 20-23 March 2023. There are large numbers of out-of-school children and youths not in employment education or training. Open schooling, using open and distance learning methods and OER, can provide a more flexible route back into education for these learners.

Lifelong Learning for Sustainable Development: Presented by Professor Asha Kanwar, COL President & CEO at the Lillehammer Lifelong Learning ICDE Conference in Norway, on 15 February 2023. Co-written with Dr K Balasubramanian.

A Green Learning Agenda: Presented by Professor Asha Kanwar, COL President & CEO at the Regional Focal Points Meeting – CARIBBEAN held in Jamaica, 31 January 2023.