Introduction
The Forum will explore the role of e-technology in transforming Higher Education to meet the challenge of the global pressures so prominently exposed at the recent G20 meeting. Any longer term Re-Vision for Higher Education needs to address the very diverse learning landscape occupied by the many universities and colleges around the world as well as the variety of workplace initiatives that support lifelong learning and skill development that enable people and organisations to succeed.
It's clear that e-technology has a part to play in making education 'fit for purpose' in the 21st Century.
Despite this, many Higher Education institutions and providers have only now begun planning for the digitally native generation nearing completion of compulsory school experiences.
Quality of education in a changing world, rich in technology options but faced with so many problems and priorities, implies the need:
to be, above all, responsive - our Higher Education has to be, increasingly, responsive to the learning needs and wants of individuals who expect a "personalised" learning environment in which both the learning content and access in time and place are flexible to suit students of all ages, whether they are full-time or employed - and, at the same time, responsiveness to business "employability" needs to guarantee that Higher Education's contribution to economic recovery is constructive.
to be demonstrably effective in meeting the achievement and retention standards set by government and professional bodies to evaluate learners' progress - providing students with learning programmes that they enjoy and actively engage with; that they don't 'drop out' of; and that build skills which make a valuable contribution to social and economic activity in their communities
to maintain, and improve, the efficient use of resources and operational management of the institutions and providers that will remain the engine room for education delivery for the foreseeable future, at a time of growing demand and pressure on public finance - smart e-technology's role in reducing costs and environmental impact have risen up Higher Education's priority lists in the last year.
The ELF 2009 'Higher Education: Re-Visioning for Recovery' forum aims to explore how the service our governments and universities currently provide can be scaled up, taking full advantage of e-technology's potential, to meet the enormous knowledge and skills challenge presented by today's problems.