Commonwealth and Caribbean Cooperation in Distance Education: Challenges and Opportunities

Abstract

Commonwealth and Caribbean Cooperation in Distance Education: Challenges and Opportunities Public Lecture presented at the: Jamaica Association for Distance and Open Learning (JADOL) Jamaica, 17 February 2005 By: Sir John Daniel, President & CEO, Commonwealth of Learning // Today I have chosen as my title Commonwealth and Caribbean Cooperation in Distance Education: Challenges and Opportunities. // I shall begin by emphasising that all Commonwealth cooperation, whether in distance education or in other fields, has a special focus on small states. Small states account for two-thirds of the 53 countries of the Commonwealth. Furthermore the small island states of the Commonwealth account for three-quarters of all the world's small island states. This means that small states are integral to the notion of the Commonwealth and therefore that the work of the Commonwealth should be of special importance for small states. // After making some comments about the special situation of small states I shall outline what the Commonwealth of Learning, COL, is doing to help small states. We are always eager to increase the relevance and impact of that work. I shall talk later about the Virtual University for Small States of the Commonwealth which the Ministers of Education have asked us to create.