The Commonwealth of Learning (COL) is an intergovernmental organization
created by Commonwealth Heads of Government to encourage the development
and sharing of open learning/distance education knowledge, resources and
technologies. It has been operational since 1989 from its headquarters in
Vancouver, Canada. COL’s core operations are financed by voluntary pledges from
Commonwealth governments. Its six major voluntary funding contributors –
currently Canada, India, New Zealand, Nigeria, South Africa and the United
Kingdom – each have a seat on COL’s Board of Governors. Its average annual
core budget over the last three years has been around $7m. It has also periodically
undertaken fee-for-service consulting for international agencies and national
governments, amounting to around $2m annually