Connections/EdTech News, July 2003

Former CIDA Vice President becomes second
Canadian Chairman

Lewis Perinbam, O.C., a former Vice President of the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA), was appointed as Chairman of COL's Board of Governors on 28 April 2003. The announcement was made on behalf of COL's Board of Governors by Commonwealth Secretary-General, H.E. Rt. Hon. Donald McKinnon, following a meeting of the Board in Vancouver that week.

Mr. Perinbam is the second Canadian to hold this post. Previously a Senior Adviser to COL's President, he succeeds Dr. H. Ian Macdonald, O.C., President Emeritus of York University, Toronto, who had chaired the Board since 1994.

"The strong endorsement Lewis received from countries around the Commonwealth is testimony to his knowledge, talent and expertise in the area of education for development," said Mr. McKinnon. "His impressive track record in education, government relations and successful networking in his professional life will be of enormous benefit to COL and will enable him to provide strong leadership to the organisation."

During his several years at CIDA, he was well known for his innovative approaches to development including its flagship non-governmental organisation (NGO) partnership programme - the first of its kind in the world - and its industrial co-operation programme that encouraged involvement of the private sector in development. Prior to his time at CIDA, Mr. Perinbam represented the World Bank at the United Nations and at the UN's specialised agencies in New York and Europe. He was also the founding Secretary General of the Canadian National Commission for UNESCO and served as Executive Director of the World University Service of Canada.

In 2000, Mr. Perinbam was Chair of the 2000 Federal Government Task Force on the Participation of Visible Minorities in the Federal Public Service and, in 2002, Prime Minister Jean Chrétien appointed him a Governor of the Canadian Centre for Management Development. He was named an Officer of the Order of Canada in 1997.

"Many world problems cannot be solved using traditional and conventional methods," Mr. Perinbam said. "They require new approaches, techniques and attitudes. COL is at the forefront of change and has earned widespread respect for its leadership in demonstrating effective use of open and distance learning and new communications technologies to initiate and manage change for the benefit of the peoples of the Commonwealth. I count it a privilege to be associated with COL and will support its efforts to serve the Commonwealth in bold and imaginative ways."

Mr. Perinbam also noted that his priorities include succession planning for the presidency of COL, heightening COL's profile, strengthening COL's relationships with Commonwealth Governments and seeking additional resources to enable COL to serve the people of the Commonwealth more effectively.

COL's President and Chief Executive Officer, Dato' Professor Gajaraj Dhanarajan, offered that "Over the last eight years of knowing him well as a Senior Adviser to my office I have come to appreciate the range of skills and connections that Mr. Perinbam possesses especially in international development. His wisdom, understanding of issues and interest in development will enable COL to reposition itself to respond even more sensitively to the development challenges of the Common-wealth."

COL is the first Commonwealth agency to be located outside Britain
and is the only international inter-governmental organisation in Vancouver, Canada. It was created by Common-wealth Heads of Government to widen access to learning through the effective use of open and distance learning
and new communications technologies.
The agency's founding Chairman was
the Right Honourable Lord Briggs, who chaired the Board from 1988 to 1993.

www.col.org/lperinbam

 

Affordable Advantage:
A Commonwealth Executive MBA/MPA

Demand is growing for post-graduate human resource training to increase the number of highly trained professionals required to maintain economic momentum and good governance. COL is playing a catalytic role in addressing this need in South Asia, directly benefiting individuals and the organisations in which they work, and thereby indirectly benefiting their societies.

Upwardly mobile South Asian executives can now enroll in the Commonwealth Executive Master of Business Administration/Master of Public Administration programme, taking the distance education courses wherever they live or work.

The Commonwealth Executive MBA/MPA has been offered since mid-2002 through four premier South Asian open universities: Bangladesh Open University (BOU), Indira Gandhi National Open University, (IGNOU, India), Open University of Sri Lanka (OUSL), and Allama Iqbal Open University (AIOU, Pakistan), although the last, AIOU, long part of the planning process, did not begin offering courses until early 2003. The CEMBA/CEMPA was designed, developed and implemented as a result of collaboration between the four universities and brokered by COL with funding assistance from the Commonwealth Fund for Technical Co-operation (CFTC).

The CEMBA/CEMPA prepares its graduates for international-level performance, yet focuses on optimising local productivity. Even better are the affordable fees, flexible study pace and seamless credit transfer between partner institutions offered to potential students. Courses feature relevant local learning materials and case studies, and cover everything from managing information and public systems to development planning and quality assurance. English is the lingua franca.

How long does it take to complete? Almost as long as learners want or have the time for. Designed for part-time study by busy working professionals, the programme can be completed by students at their own pace. As well, they don't have to take the full degree to benefit from the courses offered. Diploma and graduate diploma options are available. The full graduate degree requires a minimum of two years study up to a maximum of five years (although
re-registration is possible after the expiry of five years). The diploma option can be obtained in as little as one year by completing a suite of compulsory courses in business or public administration - depending on the chosen specialisation. Adding some electives can upgrade the qualification to a graduate diploma. And the more academically inclined may obtain the MBA or MPA (graduate degree) following the completion of an additional final project with an associated research component.

Learners receive certification from the institution they apply to and are accepted into the programme by individual institutions, with admission requirements that are streamlined across the four partner institutions. The programme provides an opportunity to acquire both accreditation and valuable training for candidates who are resident of a participating country, possess any sort of undergraduate degree (or have worked in a related field for at least two years) and can pass a test of professional experience and English fluency.

Courses are offered through four premier South Asian open universities

The programme is administered by a joint governance system of senior administrators and faculty representatives from all partner institutions. Primary CEMBA/CEMPA course writing team members are from the Commonwealth's established business management schools located in Australia, Canada, India, New Zealand, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. Courses are written exclusively for the programme, as well as adapted from existing courses at CEMBA/CEMPA partner institutions and the well-regarded business programmes of Charles Sturt University in Australia, New Zealand's Massey University and the Open University of Hong Kong. Secondary course writing teams at partner institutions adapt material to local circumstances and the regional business and governmental environment.

The CEMBA/CEMPA began its first semester in late 2002 with a combined total of 480 students enrolled at IGNOU, BOU and OUSL. Unforeseen circumstances delayed the programme's launch at AIOU until early 2003. End-of-semester course evaluations are ongoing and an overall programme evaluation will take place in 2004 after the first graduates have completed their studies.

Projections for the CEMBA/CEMPA promise a significant short- and long-term human and economic development pay-off for the South Asian Commonwealth region. As a working example of close regional collaboration, the CEMBA/CEMPA provides a template for the development of similar programmes elsewhere. To that end, COL is now discussing the development and promotion of a CEMBA/CEMPA programme with the National Open University of Nigeria targeting learners in Commonwealth Africa.

www.col.org/cemba

 

 

 

Ian MacDonald Steps Down

Dr. H. Ian Macdonald, O.C., LL.D., K.L.J., President Emeritus of York University, was COL's Chairman from 1 January 1994 until 28 April 2003. Upon taking this voluntary office, he led the institution through some tough times when it was facing a financial crunch. He has been an unfailing supporter and advocate for COL and open and distance learning since chairing COL's Progress Review Committee in 1993, prior to becoming Chairman.

COL's President and Chief Executive Officer, Dato' Professor Gajaraj Dhanarajan, noted that "Dr. Macdonald's passion for the Commonwealth and his abiding interest in and long association with education made him an ideal Chairman for COL's Board of Governors. His tireless energy, administrative knowledge, interest in people and sense of humour gave me great pleasure to work with him. My colleagues and I will miss his presence at our meetings."

Commonwealth Secretary-General, H.E. Rt. Hon. Donald McKinnon, also expressed his appreciation for Dr. Macdonald's service. "I and COL owe a tremendous debt of gratitude to Ian for the positive leader-ship he provided COL since 1994. His energy, imagination, commitment and, of course, sense of humour, will be missed. Ian is a real Commonwealth man!"

Dr. Macdonald has had a distinguished career in academia and government, having been a professor of economics and chief government economist early in his career and then serving the Canadian Province of Ontario as Deputy Minister of Treasury, Economics, and Intergovernmental Affairs. In 1974, he was named President of York University, a position he held for more than 10 years, following which he served as Director of York International for another 10 years. He is now President Emeritus and Professor of Economics and Public Policy at York University and Director of the Master of Public Administration Program.

 

 

UN Millennium Development Goals www.developmentgoals.org           1. Eradicate extreme poverty and hunger           2. Achieve universal primary education           3. Promote gender equality and empower women           4. Reduce child mortality           5. Improve maternal health           6. Combat HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases           7. Ensure environmental sustainability           8. Develop a global partnership for development