Address by Special Guest  Professor Sukhadeo Thorat, Chair of the University Grants Commission

Emerging Issues in Indian Higher Education - Approach and Strategy under 11th Plan  [presentation]

Keynote Speaker: Lord Puttnam of Queensgate, C.B.E.

Unavoidable circumstances prevented Lord Puttnam from attending the conference, however, a copy of his address is available [presentation]

Speaker: Professor Brenda Gourley Higher education for a digital age   [presentation]

Plenary 2:

Chair: Sir Graeme Davies, Vice-Chancellor, University of London, UK 

Speakers: Professor Sugata Mitra (University of Newcastle, UK) "This technology is for everyone"

Professor Mitra's talk is available to download from www.ted.com

Georges Malamoud (Agence Universitaires de la Francophonie) Digital Campus: a tool for networking communities  

[presentation]

Teaching and Learning: New Channel Thinking:

Chair: Professor James McWha, Vice-Chancellor, University of Adelaide, Australia

Presenters: 

• New Channel Thinking: YouTube, iTunes and the live and online world  Peter Scott (The Open University, UK)   [abstract] 

• The classroom without walls in the global village: Linking Ghanaian and Canadian Students in the virtual classroom Charles Quist-Adade (Kwantlen Polytechnic University, Canada)    [abstract]

Research: Using ICT in Research:

Chair: Professor Kwasi Kwafo Adarkwa, Vice-Chancellor, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science & Technology, Ghana

Presenters: 

• Research innovation serving the financial industry: The Ultimate Alpha System  Professor Dawie de Jongh (Centre for Business Mathematics and Informatics, North West University, South Africa)   [abstract]   [presentation]

• scubuntu: a free and open desktop computing environment for researchers and scientists Thomas Fogwill (Meraka Institute of the CSIR, South Africa)  [abstract]    [presentation]

Outreach & Community Engagement: Researching the Hard to Reach:

Chair: Professor David Johnston, President, University of Waterloo, Canada 

• Overcoming the tyranny of geography: the evolution of the University of the Highlands and Islands in Scotland  Professor Robert Cormack FRSE (UHI Millennium Institute, UK)  [abstract] 

• Dazzling Technology; Unequal World; Seismic Shift in higher education viz-a-viz education in rural India: problems & prospects   Dr Ashok Patil (Pravara Institute of Medical Sciences, India)   [abstract]   [presentation]

• University-Community links for rural prosperity John Daniel (Commonwealth of Learning) 
  [abstract]   [presentation-text version]

University Management & Innovation: The Changing University Library:

Chair: Professor Judith Elkin, Deputy Vice-Chancellor, University of Worcester, UK 

• Emerging university library services in an ever-changing and knowledge-intensive learning environment  Margaret Adeogun (University of Eastern Africa, Baraton, Kenya)  [abstract]   [presentation]

• Information Technology for 21st century African libraries: bringing the learning and research community into digital learning spaces Buhle Mbambo-Thata (University of South Africa)   [abstract]   [presentation]

• Commonwealth libraries: changing roles and new opportunities John Kirkland (Association of Commonwealth Universities)

Plenary 3:

Chair: Professor E. Nigel Harris, Vice-Chancellor, University of the West Indies, Jamaica

Speaker: Mark East and Bradley Tipp (Microsoft) e-campus: Empowering the next generation 

Plenary 4:

Chair: Professor Roger Field, Vice-Chancellor, Lincoln University, New Zealand

Speakers:Jan Zanetis (Tandberg): Distance Learning: Today's Tools for Tomorrow's Leaders   [abstract]

Sashi Parthasarathi (Jenzabar): Effective strategies for enrolment and retention success: lessons learned and best practices in the United States  

Plenary 5:

Chair: Sir Muir Russell, Principal, University of Glasgow, UK 

Speakers: Gordon Freedman (Blackboard) (plus partner universities) will be looking at Virtual Learning Environments from a variety of perspectives

Unlocking the Global Education Imperative:  Core Challenges and Critical Responses   [presentation-text version]

Teaching & Learning: Virtual Learning Environments:

Chair: Dr David Barnard, President,University of Manitoba, Canada

Presenters: 

• Role of Virtual Learning Environment in changing the traditional learning methods Professor (Ms) Kamal Singh (Sant Gadga Baba Amravati University, India)  [abstract]  

• New Perspectives on Learning: e-learning to m-learning Professor LEUNG Chun-ming (The Open University of Hong Kong)  [abstract]   [presentation]

             Links to: Smart Learning Space;  Law E-Courses;  Using PDAs

• The University of Cape Town's Centre for Educational Technology:Lessons Learnt  Laura Czerniewicz (University of Cape Town, South Africa)  [abstract]   [presentation]

Outreach & Community Engagement: Opportunities & Challenges:

• Opportunities and challenges for open and distance learning Don Olcott (Observatory on Borderless Higher Education)  [abstract]   [presentation]

• A case study of educational innovations at BITS, Pilani, through use of ICT L.K. Maheshwari (BITS, India)  [abstract]  

• Enabling Community Engagement through Non-Traditional Administrative Systems & Campus-wide Portal Solutions Alex Parrillo (Jenzabar)  [abstract]

University Management & Innovation: Delivering Distributed Learning:

Chair: Dr Theuns Eloff, Vice-Chancellor, North West University, South Africa 

• The UOC Media Centre: towards a cross-platform and cross-channel e-learning system Begona Gros-Salvat (Open University of Catalonia, Spain)  [abstract]  

• The Virtual University for Small States of the Commonwealth John Daniel (Commonwealth of Learning)  [abstract]   [presentation-text version]

• Addressing the digital divide in the Southern African Universities Piyushi Kotecha (Southern African Regional Universities Association)  [abstract]   [presentation]

• Strategic bandwidth management, enabling ICTs for optimal impact Martin Belcher (International Network for the Availability of Scientific Publications)  [abstract]   [presentation]

Plenary 6: The previously unthinkable is now possible - this session will explore some of the amazing research that today's technology makes possible

Chair: Professor TSUI Lap-Chee, Vice-Chancellor, University of Hong Kong

Speakers:   

• Dorothy K.Gordon (AITI, Accra): Parallel Programming in parallel realities: Open source High Performance Computing for sustainable 21st century livelihoods

• Dr Len Shaffrey (University of Reading, UK) Advancing the Science of Climate Prediction: Achievements and Challenges  [presentation]

Teaching & Learning:

Chair: Professor Clifford Nii Boi Tagoe, Vice-Chancellor, University of Ghana

Presenters: 

• Rethinking the role of the University in teacher education: the Teacher Education in Sub-Saharan Africa (TESSA) experience Bob Moon (Open University, UK)  [abstract]   [presentation]

• Interactive classrooms project in New South Wales  Ann-Marie Furney (New South Wales  Department of Education & Training/Tandberg) [abstract]   [presentation]

Cross-Cutting Theme: Globalising Knowledge:

Chair: Professor Kshanika K. Hirimburegama, Vice-Chancellor, University of Colombo, Sri Lanka

• Globalising Knowledge Tim Gore - The Centre for Indian Business, The University of Greenwich, UK   [abstract]   [presentation]

• Global Connections - Local Impacts: trends and developments in internationalism and cross border higher education Don Olcott (Observatory on Borderless Higher Education)  [abstract]   [presentation]

• Online conferences for growing communities  Laura Czerniewicz (University of Cape Town, South Africa)  [presentation]

Outreach & Community Engagement: Universities Engaging with their Community:

• Cross-cultural prespectives on higher education and civic engagement Susan Stroud (The Talloires Network)  [abstract] 

University Management & Innovation: Reaching all parts of the University:

Chair: Dr Max Price, Vice-Chancellor, University of Cape Town, South Africa 

• A strategic approach to building the digitally fluent university Kay Moore (Sheffield Hallam University, UK)  [abstract]   [presentation]

• University Corporate IT - is this the beginning of the end or the end of the beginning? Paul Duldig (University of Adelaide, Australia)  [abstract]  

• "Online Testing" in the admission process L.K. Maheshwari (BITS, India)  [abstract] 

• Digital conversion and the paperless admissions office Jason Howard (Studylink)   [abstract]   [presentation]