Technology for Collective Action: the Virtual University for Small States of the Commonwealth

Abstract

Tertiary education in small states: Planning in the context of globalization, An IIEP Policy Forum, Paris, 3 July 2009, Theme: Organizational models for tertiary education in small states, Technology for Collective Action: The Virtual University for Small States of the Commonwealth by John Lesperance, Paul West and John Daniel, Commonwealth of Learning // In 2000 the triennial conference of Commonwealth Education Ministers took place against the heady backdrops of the Millennium Declaration and the dotcom frenzy. Fearing that their individual states did not have the critical mass of trained people and infrastructure to go it alone in integrating ICTs into education, the Ministers from the Small States created the Virtual University for Small States of the Commonwealth (VUSSC) as an instrument for collective action in the eWorld. Since then 32 Small States have worked together to: 1) train hundreds of their nationals in advanced skills for online collaboration; 2) create eLearning courses in Tourism, Life Skills, Building Safety, Disaster Management and Fisheries; and 3) develop a Transnational Qualifications Framework to facilitate the offering of these and other courses in Small States around the world.