COL will contribute to professional development and training in open and distance learning (ODL) knowledge and skills by providing individuals with experience outside their normal working environment - at COL, in another institution or through conference participation.
This policy paper:
- Defines the types of professional development and training activities COL will fund to develop, strengthen and improve human resource capabilities of institutions and organisations in the knowledge and skills required for the successful implementation, management and administration of well functioning and sustainable ODL systems.
- Seeks to ensure clarity regarding when and how COL will support individuals and/or groups with their ODL professional development and/or training needs.
- Seeks to ensure minimal administrative processes with regard to application and compliance whilst satisfying the need for accountability in the dispersal of COL's funds.
- Aims to allocate funds with due regard to gender equity and is Pan-Commonwealth in its operation.
Guidelines and Provisions:
- Applicants must submit proposals within the context of COL's Three Year Plan "Learning for Development".
- All applicants will submit a work plan with expected outputs and outcomes to be achieved within a specific time frame.
- All applications will be submitted to the Vice President c/o the Programme Coordinator, at lmeister.
Executive Secondment Programme: Offers secondment/sabbatical opportunities for senior officials/academics in Commonwealth governments or institutions to live in Vancouver, Canada, for up to three months and work on specific projects related to COL's mandate. In general, sponsoring organisations and recipient individuals must commit to a return to full-time employment for a minimum of one year following the placement with COL and sponsoring organisations/institutions are also expected to continue to support the salary and benefits of the individual during the attachment.
The work will include involvement in the planning and/or execution of COL projects related to the use of ODL methodologies and the application of information and communications technologies; researching policy issues, developing action plans and/or content, and reflecting on the appropriateness of different systems to their own countries and local needs; and giving at least two presentations to COL staff during their stay in Vancouver-one at the beginning and the other at the end of their tenure.
COL will provide a modest monthly stipend, the equivalent of a return economy airfare and accommodation. No additional expenses will be considered.
COL can host only one executive attachment at any given time.
Attachments Programme: Provides financial support for ODL professionals who are at an early stage or mid-point in their careers and would benefit from a short-term attachment to another institution. Usually the attachment will be within the geographic region of the applicant unless the applicant can establish that the experience required can only be gained out of region. All attachments will be within Commonwealth Member States.
Applicants are responsible for finding their own attachment institution and for organising their own travel and professional development activities.
COL may provide a partial grant to support an attachment. Applicants are encouraged to seek further support from other sources, such as their own institution and the receiving institution.
Applicants for funding must demonstrate how they and their institution will benefit from their attachment, and must be accompanied by a supporting letter from the head of their institution and a letter of invitation from the receiving institution. On completion of their attachment grant recipients must provide COL with a report (approximately 2,000 words) on what they have achieved and how they intend to put into practice in their home institution what they have learned from their attachment.
Study Tour Programmes: Provides partial financial support to an institution and/or a country that is seeking to develop their ODL systems to visit other Commonwealth ODL providers within the same region. A proposal with clear objectives and outcomes must be presented for consideration and must demonstrably be part of the systems/capacity development within the country or institution.
Conference Organisation: COL may support conference organisers in the planning, organising, and running of conferences within the Commonwealth where the aims and objectives of the conference are consonant with COL's mission and values and the objectives of its current Three-Year Plan. Usually this support will be requested at a minimum twelve months before the conference takes place and be in the form of a negotiated grant accounted for at the end of the conference. All financial support from COL must be recognised in the conference literature and publications.
Conference Attendance: Provides resources to enable individuals to attend ODL conferences. This will usually include (but not necessarily always) conference registration, lowest-fare travel and accommodation. In providing this support the conference organisers recognise COL in all the conference literature and publications. COL exercises the right to select attendees and conferences where we believe that it will benefit those partners with whom we are working in our current Three Year Plan.
Visiting ODL professionals to COL headquarters: Provides use of COL's information Resource Centre and other resources for international and local ODL academics and professionals.
GENERAL:
Applicants who have benefited from any of the above opportunities will not be considered for a second opportunity.
All things being equal, COL encourages women to apply.
COL reserves the right to amend the policy from time to time.
Communication:
COL undertakes to make this policy known through its newsletter, Connections, its website and relevant brochures.
Revised February 2010