Skip to main content

Eighth Pan-Commonwealth Forum on Open Learning (PCF8)

The Eighth Pan-Commonwealth Forum (PCF8) on Open Learning was held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia from 27-30 November 2016 in partnership with the Open University Malaysia (OUM). The Forum brought together the best minds in open and distance learning (ODL) to discuss issues of common interest, exchange ideas and explore best practices. Over 500 registered participants from 59 countries, including 49 Commonwealth Member States attended.

The Kuala Lumpur Declaration was presented on November 30, 2016 at the Closing Ceremony of PCF8, Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Keynote presentations, open and closing remarks and presented papers can all be found on OAsis, COL’s institutional online repository.

Archived live-stream videos from PCF8 can be found on COL’s YouTube channel.

Daily Newsletters: Day 1, Day 2, Day 3

A summary of PCF8 appears in the March 2017 edition of COL’s newsletter, Connections.

Theme

Open, Online and Flexible Learning: The Key to Sustainable Development

Sub-themes:

  1. Quality and Equity in Learning (Quality Assurance Frameworks, Accreditation, Certification, Benchmarking, Ranking)
  2. Access and Inclusion (e-Learning, Massive Open Online Courses(MOOCs) Public-Private Partnership, Equitable Educational Opportunities, Policies)
  3. Efficiency and Effectiveness (Business Models, Comparative Studies)
  4. Technology and Innovation (Teaching and Learning, Mobile Learning, Collaborative Learning, MOOCs, Open Educational Resources (OER).

PAPERS & PRESENTATIONS

Presenters

Asa Briggs Lecture

Sir John Daniel, O.C., former President & CEO of Commonwealth of Learning

Keynote Speakers

Prof Dato’ Dr Mansor Fadzil, President & Vice-Chancellor of Open University Malaysia

Mr Martin G. Bean CBE, Vice-Chancellor & President, RMIT, Australia

Dr Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, United Nations Under-Secretary-General & Executive Director of UN Women

Dr David A. Wiley, Chief Academic Officer, Lumen Learning

Honorary Fellows

  • Mr Martin Bean
  • Professor Rajesh Chandra
  • Dr Luz Marina Longsworth
  • Professor Naveed Akhtar Malik
  • Professor Tolly Salvator Augustin Mbwette
  • The Honourable Professor Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang
  • Ms Chetna Vijay Sinha

Winners of the Excellence in Distance Education Awards (2014-2016)

Award of Excellence for Institutional Achievement

  • National Institute of Open Schooling, India

Award of Excellence for Open and Distance Education Materials

Category A: Print, electronically delivered materials and/or other “low-end” media materials, such as audio/video tapes, or a combination of these.

  • Open University Malaysia, Malaysia

Category B: Design and development of study materials through the innovative use and re-use of Open Educational Resources (OER)

  • Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Malaysia

Award Recognising Distance Learning Experience

Category A: Degree Granting Programme

  • Mr. Clement Ndahani

Category B: eLearning Experience in Difficult Circumstances

  • Mr. Elvis Amenya

Forum Partners

  • Association of Commonwealth Universities
  • Commonwealth Foundation
  • Forthright Construction SDN BHD
  • GL Jaya Print SDN BHD
  • Multimedia Technology Enhancement Operations (METEOR)
  • National Institute of Open Schooling (NIOS)
  • National University of Nigeria (NOUN)
  • Olympia Diary (Malaysia) SDN BHD
  • Percetakan Sri Jaya
  • The Open University UK
  • University of London International Programmes

PCF8 WEBSITE ARCHIVE