The Research and Knowledge Management Office (RaKMO) of St. Mary’s University, in collaboration with the College of Distance Learning (CODL), organized the 11th Open and Distance Learning Seminar (ODLS) on August 31, 2023, at the American Corner located in the Postgraduate Campus, under the theme “Reimagining Distance Learning in Developing Countries”.
The seminar was opened by Ato Tsegaye Gabissa, Vice President of CODL. He stated that open and distance learning is a significant alternative for bridging the knowledge gap of beneficiaries with limited time, opportunity, and capacity. He also emphasized that it can improve the quality of life of the people by making technology-mediated education accessible to the remotest corners of the country and to all those who cannot attend regular classes.
Five papers were presented by participants from Arsi, Werabe, and St. Mary’s University under five subthemes, followed by lively discussions and debates.
Finally, a closing remark was given by Misganaw Solomon (Ph.D.), Vice President for Research and International Relations (VPRIR). He highlighted that this year’s seminar envisioned the future of open and distance learning and explored the roles and challenges of e-learning in access to, equity, and quality of education.
