The Virtual University for Small States of the Commonwealth: Making Dreams Come True

Abstract

Virtual University for Small States of the Commonwealth (VUSSC), Seventh International Training and Course Development Workshop, Apia, Samoa, 23 November 2009, John Lesperance, Paul West and John Daniel, Commonwealth of Learning // Good morning and Talofa ladies and gentlemen, thank you for making time to be with us this morning at the opening of this very important workshop. // I bring you greetings from the President and Chief Executive Officer of the Commonwealth of Learning, Sir John Daniel who would love to have been here today, except that he is travelling at this point in time, the Vice President, Professor Asha Kanwar who is now the programme Director for VUSSC and Paul West, the Director for Knowledge Management and ICT who was with you when Samoa hosted the fourth workshop on Disaster Management. // Let me begin by expressing our thanks to the Government of Samoa for hosting yet another VUSSC workshop. // For those of you who are participating in this workshop you will be joining a group of professional educators who have received hands-on training in using ICTs to collaborate and develop course materials. By using appropriate technologies we have been able to reduce the distances that exist between educators of the small states, making you closer to VUSSC colleagues, even though you may be separated by vast distances.