The Commonwealth of Learning (COL), through its Virtual University for Small States of the Commonwealth (VUSSC) initiative, is organising the second webinar in the series, “VUSSC Voices”, with a focus on The Blue Economy.

Small states represent 33 of the 56 member countries of the Commonwealth, and although there are significant variations among them, many experience similar challenges regarding access to high-quality post-secondary education. VUSSC was established as a network of small countries committed to the collaborative development of free content resources for use in an educational context. It has two broad aims: to expand tertiary education in its member countries through distance modes and to enable the small states to be active participants in the world of online learning, thus bridging the digital divides. A key priority in VUSSC has always been to build capacity systematically for strengthening tertiary systems.

To this end, VUSSC works with Ministries and their agencies, post-secondary institutions, professional bodies and NGOs to implement a range of activities aimed at addressing common areas of concern. VUSSC projects focus on:

• improving institutional and national effectiveness to deliver quality online and blended learning in the small states.
• increasing equitable and inclusive access to quality learning for Persons with Disabilities (PWD) and those who support them; and
• expanding access to competency-based courses in skill areas relevant to small.

Successfully addressing shared interests and common concerns through collaboration requires opportunities for engagement, interaction and sharing of ideas and experiences, hence the need for “VUSSC Voices” webinars held bi-monthly.

Date & Time: Wednesday, 27 November 2024 at 9:00 AM PST/Vancouver, B.C.

Chair: Dr Schontal Moore, COL Adviser: VUSSC

Key Presenters: Sylvanna Antha, Consultant: “Blue Economy Course: Impact and Lessons for SIDS” and Angelique Pouponneau, Senior Advisor, University of New South Wales, Centre for Sustainable Development Reform: “Looking to SIDS – Enabling Legal Environments for Finance and Impact”.

Webinar Objectives:

• To expand and strengthen alliances among VUSSC stakeholders.
• To facilitate the sharing of experiences, explore responses to common challenges, provide guidance, and promote knowledge sharing and collaboration across Commonwealth countries.
• To discuss the challenges faced by small Commonwealth countries in accessing high-quality post-secondary education.
• To highlight how VUSSC addresses these challenges through collaborative development and distance learning.

To register, visit: https://bit.ly/3YB8PUo

For more information, click here: https://www.col.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/VUSSC_VOICES_Webinar_2.pdf