The Commonwealth Educational Media Centre for Asia (CEMCA), the regional centre of the Commonwealth of Learning (COL), partnered with the Jharkhand State Open University (JSOU) to host a ‘Capacity Building Workshop for Learner Support Centre (LSC) Coordinators and Staff’ in Jharkhand, India. JSOU is the most recent addition to the list of open universities (OUs) in India, so CEMCA signed an MOU with the university to strengthen its open and distance learning (ODL) system.

The training aimed to build essential skills for the 145 participants, leading to more and better prospects for distance learners at JSOU. The workshop is expected to result in a more proficient and effective workforce capable of advancing the institution’s mission of providing high-quality distance education opportunities to the unreached communities in Jharkhand state, where a significant proportion of the population continues to experience poverty.

The workshop Sessions covered the role of LSCs in expanding ODL, academic counsellor responsibilities, regulatory frameworks, and the use of technology for admissions, finance, examinations, and teaching.

Training methods included situational analysis, presentations, discussions, group activities, and participant assessments, ensuring a hands-on learning experience. The workshop reinforced the strategic importance of LSCs in enhancing ODL access and effectiveness in India.

Professor (Dr) T N Sahu, Vice Chancellor, JSOU, commended CEMCA’s support to ODL institutions in India and referred to the recent MOU as an essential step towards establishing JSOU as an institution of repute among Indian OUs. Dr B. Shadrach, Director of CEMCA, underscored the pivotal role LSCs may play as the primary interface for JSOU to reach learners in remote and underserved areas.