COL and The Open Polytechnic of New Zealand have signed a Memorandum of Understanding, agreeing to collaborate on the use of open, distance, flexible and technology-mediated learning to increase access to education and training opportunities, particularly skills development for marginalised and disadvantaged groups and out-of-school youth. Formalising the agreement in Vancouver in July are COL President Sir John Daniel and Open Polytechnic Chief Executive Dr. Caroline Seelig.

Q&A WITH SIR JOHN DANIEL

Described as an “online and distance education pioneer”, COL President Sir John Daniel was the subject of a feature interview in the 26 September issue of University World News, the weekly emailed newspaper for higher education practitioners worldwide. Sir John discussed the strengths and weaknesses of open and distance learning (ODL), the challenges of cross-border education and the success of the Virtual University for Small States of the Commonwealth.

www.universityworldnews.com/article.php?story=2010092516094755

INTERNATIONAL ACCREDITATION FOR VUSSC COURSES

By Franz Gertze
Director, Namibia Qualifications Authority Member, TQF Management Committee

At the TQF launch in Namibia (L to R): Hon. Dr. David Namwandi, Deputy Minister of Education, Namibia; COL President Sir John Daniel; Ms. Stamenka Uvalić-Trumbić, Chief of the Section for Reform, Innovation and Quality Assurance, UNESCO Higher Education Division; Mr. David Woodhouse, President, INQAAHE and Mr. Franz Gertze, Director, Namibia Qualifications Authority

The Transnational Qualifications Framework (TQF) for the Virtual University for the Small States of the Commonwealth (VUSSC) was formally launched in Windhoek, Namibia, on 3 May 2010. COL President Sir John Daniel presided at the occasion, which heralded the introduction of probably the most international, collaborative system for capacity building, skills development and greater access to quality assured qualifications.

The timing and venue for the TQF launch was most opportune as it coincided with the 2010 Forum of the International Network for Quality Assurance Agencies (INQAAHE), which was hosted by the Namibia Qualifications Authority (NQA).

Present at the launch were representatives from a wide spectrum of role players in education and training including guests from the Global Initiative for Quality Assurance Capacity (GIQAC), INQAAHE, UNESCO, the World Bank and Regional Quality Networks in Africa, Asia, the Caribbean, Europe and Latin America. Many international leaders from within the education sector certainly became aware of the TQF and its benefits as a result of this meeting and the presentations.

Read the full article at www.vussc.org

TQF: FROM PLANNING TO ACTION

Senior officials from qualifications authorities and quality assurance agencies representing small states of the Commonwealth officially accepted the TQF at a meeting in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia in June. Hosted by the Open University of Malaysia, the meeting brought together officials from 26 countries.

Participants at the TQF Senior Officials Meeting agreed to focus on five action areas:

• Creating a TQF online portal,
• Advocacy and communication (including updates to Ministers of Education and stakeholders at the national and regional levels),
• Capacity building,
• Integrating the TQF with national qualifications frameworks, and
• Formally adopting the structures required for TQF implementation.

“Qualifications frameworks have now become a global phenomenon and the small states are making history with their TQF,” the meeting communiqué noted. “Many countries outside VUSSC including non-Commonwealth ones have shown interest in using the TQF for qualifications recognition at a transnational level.”

WHAT IS THE TQF?

The TQF is a system of accreditation for VUSSC courses that facilitates the movement of courses and learners among states. VUSSC is an international online course development initiative, not an accrediting or awarding body. That means the institutions that offer courses must accredit them locally. The aim of the TQF is to ensure all open educational resources (OERs) created for VUSSC can be adapted into recognised courses that students can take for credit through educational institutions in small states. The TQF should act as a translation point for modules/units and qualifications among countries. An additional benefit is that the TQF will discourage bogus providers (also known as “degree mills”), which are active on the Web in trying to sell fake qualifications.

The TQF can be found on the VUSSC website at www.vussc.org

ONLINE OER DISCUSSION

COL and UNESCO are hosting an online discussion forum on aspects of Open Educational Resources (OERs). This is part of a joint COL/UNESCO initiative entitled, “Taking OER beyond the OER Community: Policy and Capacity” (http://oerworkshop.weebly.com).

The forum includes three online conversations:

• “Taking OER beyond the OER Community: Policy and Capacity”, 23-29 September
• “What works, what does not and under what conditions?”, 20-26 October
• “Copyright and the development and re-use of OERs”, 10-16 November

www.col.org/OERPolicy