Open and Distance eLearning in Asia: Country Initiatives and Institutional Cooperation for the Transformation of Higher Education in the Region

Abstract

This paper is an attempt to describe the situation of higher education in Asia including the challenges it faced as well as the open and distance elearning initiatives by different countries and universities.  Data gathering was done through review of online documents and websites as well as documentation of the different initiatives especially by the member institutions of the Asian Association of Open Universities (AAOU).  Descriptions of open education practices on MOOCs, OERs, and open access publications were presented and their potential to transform higher education in the region was discussed.  Challenges encountered in the implementation of ODeL programs were articulated as well as some suggestions on how to address them.