For Immediate Release
- April 12, 1995
COL JOINS "AFRICAN GLOBAL" CONSORTIUM
VANCOUVER - The Commonwealth of Learning has welcomed the recent announcement from the South African Government regarding its support for the work of the "African Global" consortium, aimed at strengthening the country's telecommunications and information infrastructure.
Headquartered in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, COL is an international organisation which Commonwealth Governments created in 1988 to encourage wider access to quality education and training internationally. COL has worked in virtually all developing and newly developed Commonwealth countries, located throughout Africa, Asia, the Caribbean, and the Pacific.
On March 29, South Africa's Government of National Unity announced that the consortium of world-leading international companies and organisations would be conducting certain feasibility studies and negotiations with relevant South African institutions. Along with The Commonwealth of Learning, the participants in this initiative include Alcatel, Bell Atlantic, Matra Marconi Space, Philips, and Teleglobe International. The work of "African Global" will be co-ordinated by LCC Rothschild, based in Monaco.
"As an international agency devoted to the application of communications and information technologies to education and training, COL welcomes the opportunity to join with other members of the consortium to reinforce their contribution to the process of social and economic renewal in southern Africa," said Mr. Richard Simpson, COL's Director of Communications Technologies and
Acting President.
"From COL's standpoint, working with the African Global group provides us with a unique opportunity to fashion new and innovative ways of delivering education and training through advanced communications. Within the consortium, COL's experience and expertise in distance education and open learning can be usefully aligned with the technology strengths of our partners."
In pursuit of its mandate to further the cause of distance learning across the Commonwealth, COL has already been actively engaged in discussions with a large number of educational bodies in South Africa.
In October 1994, COL's former
President, Professor James Maraj, participated in the International Donor Conference on Human Resource Development in the Reconstruction and Development Programme, which was convened by the Government of South Africa and co-sponsored by the United Nations Development Programme and the Commonwealth Secretariat.
Other senior officials of COL, including Head of African Programmes, Professor Peter Kinyanjui, have also played a key role in helping to define the techniques and strategies that can enhance access to quality education and training for all South Africans.
With other members of the consortium, COL is currently engaged in the definition of a series of joint studies and projects, which would be supportive of South Africa's Reconstruction and Development Programme. Specific proposals for consideration by South African authorities are expected to be forthcoming in the near future.
The Commonwealth is a world-wide association of independent countries, which work together to advance global progress in economic development and social justice. South Africa rejoined the association as its 51st member on June 1, 1994 - 33 years after it left in response to criticism of its apartheid policy.
The Commonwealth of Learning was created by Commonwealth Governments to widen opportunities for learning, by promoting co-operation between Commonwealth educational institutions, with a particular emphasis on utilising the potential of distance education and the application of communication technologies to education. It aims to strengthen the capacities of Commonwealth member countries to advance their economic and social development.
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For further information contact:
Dave Wilson,
Public Affairs Officer
The Commonwealth
of Learning
1285 West Broadway, Suite 600
Vancouver, British Columbia
Canada, V6H 3X8
Tel: (604) 775 8200
Fax: (604) 775 8210