A Passion for Open Universities

Abstract

A Passion for Open Universities, NETAJI SUBHAS OPEN UNIVERSITY, Special Convocation, Kolkata, India, 14 April 2005, Remarks by: Sir John Daniel President & CEO, Commonwealth of Learning following the award of the degree of Doctor of Letters honoris causa // I thank you from the bottom of my heart for the privilege of being associated with Netaji Subhas Open University as an honorary Doctor of Letters. I first congratulate the graduates, who have earned their degrees by hard study and examination. Although I have not earned my degree by study and examination I am as proud as you are to receive this award today. // The Vice-Chancellor told you that in 1972, as part of my studies in educational technology, I spent three months as an intern at the UK Open University. The UKOU was then only in its second year of operation but, like NSOU, was growing strongly and already had 40,000 students. I was impressed by everything I saw at that infant Open University. Here, it seemed to me, was the future of higher education. Fresh ideas were being combined with technology to create a new type of university. I gained a lifelong passion for open universities from that experience. That is why I am so delighted to be welcomed into the community of Netaji Subhas Open University today. // Although a combination of fresh ideas and appropriate technology can create a potentially winning formula for higher education it takes people to implement any formula successfully. I congratulate the Vice-Chancellor and the staff of NSOU for the truly remarkable development of this University in recent years. I refer first to the growth in numbers, from 3,000 students in 2001 to 50,000 today. That growth has given the University the public impact and financial resilience that gives it substantial autonomy to make its own choices about the future directions that it will take.