Mega-Schools and Technology: Lifelong Learning Systems for the 21st Century

Abstract

International Forum on Open and Distance Education (30th anniversary celebration of the CCRTVU) Beijing, China 16/17 October 2009, Theme: Challenges and Opportunities for ODL in Lifelong Learning in a Global Financial and Economic Crisis, Sub-theme: Institutional Efficiency: New mission, value, strategies and policies, Keynote address: Mega-Schools and Technology: Lifelong Learning Systems for the 21st Century by Sir John Daniel and Ms. Frances Ferreira, Commonwealth of Learning // It is a pleasure to join you all in congratulating the CCRTVU on reaching the milestone of its 30th anniversary. This is a huge achievement and when I think of the tens of millions of people who have been empowered by higher education and training as a result of your work it puts our modest efforts in the rest of the world somewhat in the shade. // But having said that I am delighted that you have chosen to follow frequent practice elsewhere and refer to CCRTVU as the Open University of China. The first good reason for doing that is that tying the name of any educational institution to the teaching medium that it uses means that you will one day be overtaken by the onward march of technology. That applies just as much to terms like ‘virtual university’, ‘online university’ and ‘eUniversity’ as it does to names referring to television and radio.