The British Council, UK’s international organisation for educational opportunities and cultural exchange, hosted a seminar on Online, Distance and Digitally delivered Learning to shed light on the current, rapidly changing landscape of opportunities and challenges in online learning segment. The seminar explored the best practices of universities for online courses.
Taking a step further and to deep dive into the quality and effectiveness of Online, Distance, and Digitally Delivered Learning (ODDL), the organisation announced a Going Global Partnerships grants. The Going Global Partnerships programme promotes collaboration and innovation in teaching and learning and transnational education in higher education institutions between India and the UK.
The grant will support collaborative efforts to enhance mutual understanding of UK-India educational systems, identify areas for further collaboration, and harness technology to improve the learning experience. Special attention will be given to improving student engagement, developing innovative teaching practices, and addressing the challenges of assessment quality and course completion rates.
Lord Jo Johnson, Former Universities Minister of the UK, offered a look into the future trends of online and digitally delivered education. Meanwhile, Prof. Nirmaljeet Singh Kalsi, Former Member of the National Council for Vocational Education and Training, provided an overview of the regulatory landscape for education in India.
A thought-provoking panel discussion moderated by Rittika Chanda Parruck MBE, Director of Education- India, British Council, was organised during the seminar which delved into the ideal framework for distance education. Esteemed panellists, including Prof. Uma Kanjilal, Vice-Chancellor of IGNOU, and Joshua Fleming, Director Strategy Office for Students UK, shared their perspectives on creating scalable, accessible, and high-quality online learning systems.
Throughout the seminar, experts examined the evolving landscape of online, open, and digitally delivered education. The event featured a series of innovative demonstrations by leading online education providers and addressed key issues such as student engagement, regulatory frameworks, and the scalability of digital learning models. With global demand for higher education expected to rise, the seminar underscored how digital education can effectively meet these challenges while ensuring equity, access, and quality.
At the event, Rittika Chanda Parruck MBE, Director of Education- India, British Council, said, “Understanding and improving the quality and effectiveness of Online, Distance, and Digitally Delivered Learning (ODDL) is crucial as we navigate the rapidly evolving landscape of education. The Going Global Partnerships grant represents a significant step towards fostering collaboration between India and the UK, aiming to enhance the learning experience through innovative teaching practices and technology. We hope this will complement the brilliant efforts of the Indian authorities in this space through mutually beneficial collaboration.”
Professor Dame Sally Mapstone DBE, FRSE, President UUK and Principal and Vice-Chancellor, University of St Andrews said, “We are delighted to strengthen the collaboration between the UK and India through initiatives like the Going Global Partnerships programme. This grant will help us to explore innovative approaches to online, distance, and digitally delivered learning, fostering a deeper understanding of our educational systems. By sharing best practices, enhancing student engagement, and addressing challenges in assessment and course completion, we aim to build a more accessible, scalable, and high-quality digital education landscape for both our nations.”
The Going Global Partnerships grant call for online, distance, and digitally delivered learning, in conjunction with the seminar, is expected to build meaningful partnerships that will contribute to the development of a robust digital learning environment, break barriers around access, and ultimately enhance the employability and skill acquisition of students globally.
India-UK collaboration on internationalising higher education focus on research partnerships, future skills for students, improved teaching quality, and capacity building. The UK and India are key partners in mobility and the UK wants more Indian students to work and study in UK. The UK is open and welcomes international students to pursue high quality courses at globally ranked universities that offer excellent graduate outcomes.
