Excellence in Distance Education Awards (EDEA) 2007-2008

The Commonwealth of Learning is continuing the tradition of recognising and honouring excellence in distance education through awards to be presented during the Fifth Pan-Commonwealth Forum on Open Learning (PCF5). The Forum will take place in London, U.K., from 13-17 July 2008. Since its inception as part of COL's tenth anniversary celebrations, the programme has honoured 27 individuals and 20 institutions. It has become a staple of the Pan-Commonwealth Forums on Open Learning where they are conferred.

There are four categories of awards designed to recognise excellence: at the institutional level; in the development of learning materials; in student accomplishment and for a lifetime achievement in and contribution to open and distance learning.

I encourage our colleagues and friends in open and distance learning to submit nominations for the awards and to attend the Fifth Pan-Commonwealth Forum on Open Learning. The Forum is being jointly organised by COL and the University of London as part of its celebrations of 150 years of external studies, a seminal event in the development of distance learning worldwide.

PCF5 will explore how open and distance learning can help to achieve the international development goals and education for all. The conference theme is "Access to Learning for Development", with a focus on four key areas:

• Governance, conflict and social justice
• Health
• Livelihoods
• Provision for children and young people

The Forum's website is www.col.org/pcf5

Sir John Daniel
President and CEO