A Virtual University for Small States of the Commonwealth (VUSSC)

Abstract

The Commonwealth Ministers of Education, at their meeting in Halifax, November 2000, directed The Commonwealth of Learning (COL) to develop a proposal for a virtual university to particularly serve the small states of the Commonwealth, using existing structures and capacity. (See Appendix A for a list of the small states of the Commonwealth as defined by the Commonwealth Secretariat.) Recommendations will be presented at the meeting of Commonwealth Ministers of Education in 2003. The President of COL established a Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) to assist with the process of developing the recommendations. The TAC is comprised of regional representatives from small nations in the Commonwealth plus representatives of various Commonwealth organisations selected on the basis of their direct interest in, and relevance to, the development of information and communications technologies (ICTs) and higher education throughout the Commonwealth. The COL President is chair of the Committee and is assisted by a senior consultant and several members of the COL staff. The names of the participants are listed in Appendix B. Penultimate recommendations were presented to a Committee of Education Ministers in March 2003 at a consultation hosted by the Seychelles Minister of Education. The names of the Ministers that participated in this Consultation are listed in the communiqué attached as Appendix C.