Commonwealth of Learning

Commonwealth of Learning. The Commonwealth of Learning is an intergovernmental organisation established by Commonwealth Heads of Government to promote the development and sharing of open learning and distance education knowledge, resources, and technologies. Headquartered in Burnaby, British Columbia, it is the world’s only intergovernmental organisation solely dedicated to distance education and open learning, serving the 56 member countries of the Commonwealth of Nations. Its work focuses on empowering learners, strengthening educational systems, and fostering innovation through collaboration across the Global South.

History

The organisation was created following a proposal at the 1987 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Vancouver, championed by leaders including Indian Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi and Canadian Prime Minister Brian Mulroney. It was formally established in 1988, with its founding charter signed at the Commonwealth Secretariat in London. The first President & CEO was James A. Maraj, who helped establish its initial programmes. A significant early milestone was its instrumental role in the 1993 Pan-Commonwealth Forum on Open Learning, which solidified its network. Its headquarters were permanently established in Burnaby in 1995, in partnership with the Government of Canada and the Province of British Columbia. Key historical figures in its development include Dato' Professor Gajaraj Dhanarajan, who succeeded Maraj and expanded its focus on open educational resources.

Governance and structure

The supreme governing body is the Board of Governors, which includes representatives from member governments, the Commonwealth Secretariat, and appointed experts in education. The Board is chaired by a distinguished individual, such as former Vice-Chancellor Sir John Daniel. Day-to-day operations are led by the President & CEO, a position held since 2012 by Professor Asha Kanwar. The organisation maintains a small secretariat in Burnaby and operates through regional offices and focal points across the Commonwealth, including in New Delhi, Lusaka, and Kingston, Jamaica. Key funding is provided through contributions from member governments, with major support historically from Global Affairs Canada and the Government of India.

Programmes and initiatives

Its work is organised into several key programme sectors. The Education Sector focuses on teacher development, higher education, and skills for work through initiatives like the Virtual University for Small States of the Commonwealth. The Skills Sector promotes technical and vocational education and training via frameworks such as the Commonwealth Skills Development Framework. A major cross-cutting initiative is its leadership in open educational resources, including hosting the OER Knowledge Cloud and managing the Open Schooling initiative. Other significant programmes include the Technology-Enabled Learning initiative, which partners with institutions like the Asian Development Bank, and the Women and Girls portfolio, aiming to reduce barriers to education.

Partnerships and collaborations

The organisation functions as a catalyst, building extensive networks with governments, institutions, and international agencies. It works closely with the Commonwealth Secretariat on aligned goals and with national ministries of education, such as the Ministry of Education (Kenya). Key institutional partners include the Open University of the United Kingdom, the University of the South Pacific, and the Indira Gandhi National Open University. It also collaborates with multilateral bodies like UNESCO, the World Bank, and the International Labour Organization on joint projects. Implementation often occurs through regional bodies like the Southern African Development Community and the Pacific Islands Forum.

Impact and recognition

Its impact is evidenced by its support for policy development, institutional capacity building, and the creation of scalable educational models across the Commonwealth. Notable achievements include assisting countries like Bangladesh and Rwanda in developing national OER policies and establishing the Pacific Centre for Flexible and Open Learning for Development. It has directly trained thousands of educators and supported the delivery of learning to millions. The organisation's work has been recognized through awards such as the UNESCO King Hamad Bin Isa Al-Khalifa Prize for the use of information and communication technologies in education. Its reports and resources, such as the *Journal of Learning for Development*, are widely cited in global discourse on open and distance learning.