Distance Learning India 2003

CO-HOST: Department of Space, ISRO & Space Commission *

(*invited)

INTRODUCTION

Distance Learning is an emerging industry that utilizes high technology to provide and administer corporate training, higher education, and K-12 education. Its rapid growth is propelled by the space technology, Internet and the enormous opportunity embedded in global education.

Distance learning is in the early stages of an extended upswing and its growth should significantly outpace that of the market for years to come. We believe that e Learning across the corporate training, higher education, and K-12 sectors can generate compound annual growth rates (CAGRs) of 20%-60% for the foreseeable future.

WHY IS DISTANCE LEARNING A CRUCIAL TOPIC?

The approaching reality of distance learning experiences, computer-centric school education, instant and enterprise-wide corporate training, and so on has made distance learning a crucial topic. The interest surrounding distance learning is created by the space / satellite segment, and the Internet's ability to rapidly deliver vast amounts of educational content.

MARKET OPPORTUNITY

The market opportunity for distance learning is vast.

In India alone there are about 70 distance teaching units called Correspondence/Distance Education Departments located within conventional universities, 9 State Open Universities and 1 National Open University (AIU Handbook 2001).

Besides these, distance-teaching programmes are offered by some private institutions and television companies (e.g. ZED programmes by Zee TV, the management programmes offered by Jain TV, Sun TV and others). Roughly about 20% of the student population at the higher education level is already taken care of by the correspondence/distance/open learning systems in India.

The World Bank is working with its partners-government agencies, foundations and private companies-to create a Global Distance Learning Network (GDLN). This independently operated network will provide courses, seminars, and discussion opportunities from a variety of global resources to participants around the world at Distance Learning Centers linked by satellite networks.

The Government of India has proposed that in the Tenth Plan period of 2002-2007, this provision shall be strengthened to cover about 40 per cent of students in the sector of higher education and training. We need to think of viable strategies that shall fulfil this mundane goal.

CONFERENCE

Distance learning India 2003 brings together international experts, researchers, implementers from the global distance learning industry to discuss a mix of technical papers and panel presentations describing promising new approaches to problems that are practical, and, to the extent possible, have been implemented. It also fosters the exchange of technical information and encourages the community to deploy available technologies and develop new solutions to unsolved problems.

The roles of government, major companies in distance learning including the multinationals, research organizations, and educational institutions in establishing the infrastructure shall be examined and deliberated.

The conference provides a platform where fruitful partnerships will be formed among government and innovators in the private sector to explore new ways of uplifting the global distance learning platform.

DELEGATE PROFILE

This conference is designed for executives from the following industries: