Distance Education

CHEG’s distance education projects include Thailand, Eastern Europe, Nepal and Malawi. In some circumstances, CHEG members have formed alliances with other companies to strengthen the project. Partners have included, the Commonwealth of Learning, Educational Consulting Services Limited, and Hendrik Weibe Associates.

Centre for Open Learning/Distance Education
Hickling Corporation, in conjunction with others firms, examined the feasibility of establishing a Centre for Open Learning/ Distance Education (COLDE) in Nepal, which would be a focus for all open learning/distance education capacity (OL/DE). Services included:

• preliminary design of facilities and infrastructure;
  
• strategic and business planning for the future of COLDE;
  
• outline of a conceptual plan for an Open University of Nepal; and
  
• examination of potential roles for the private and not-for-profit sectors in the future delivery of OL/DE in Nepal.

Capital Preliminary Study for Secondary Education and Distance Education in Malawi
A Hickling team assessed ways to upgrade Malawi Distance Education Centres. The team conducted studies and held consultations with over eight donors (bilateral, multilateral, NOGs) and 35 Malawi government officials.

Sukhothai Thammathirat Open University (STOU), Thailand
A CHEG partner, the University of Guelph Rural Extension Studies has been engaged in a faculty exchange and training at STOU. Guelph University:

• trained and upgraded STOU faculty;
  
• taught the application of computer-based instructional systems for distance education; and
  
• assisted STOU in effective course delivery in the new program area of science and technology.