Concept Note

The 1st Asia-Pacific

MOOCs Stakeholders Summit

2-3 March 2017

Bangkok, Thailand

CONCEPT NOTE

Since 2012, enrolments in Massive Open Online Courses (MOOC) have climbed to over 50 million registered users worldwide(*1*). Yet despite the promise of open and distance learning (ODL), significant challenges remain. Dropout rates are high and the value of learning outcomes poses significant challenges at multiple levels, including for MOOC providers and government agencies responsible for quality assurance. Further, most MOOCs are still from Western countries and are offered only in English(*2*).

To address these concerns, alternative education platforms such as national MOOC portals in Japan, Republic of Korea and Thailand are well-positioned to address ongoing challenges regarding sustainable models and recognized credentials for higher learning. In partnership with universities, industry and leading education platforms such as Coursera and edX significant progress can be made to help drive, sustain and scale MOOCs throughout Asia and the Pacific. These issues are at the heart of quality education and the new sustainable development agenda, which was endorsed by UN Member States in September 2015.

Building on Sustainable Development Goal Four (SDG4-Education 2030)(*3*) and the 2015 Qingdao Declaration(*4*) to ensure access to quality education and unleash digital learning opportunities, UNESCO Bangkok and three national partners – JMOOC, K-MOOC and ThaiMOOC agreed to convene the first MOOCs stakeholders summit across the Asia-Pacific region from 2-3 March 2017 in Bangkok, Thailand.


The objectives of the summit are as follows:

    1. To take stock of national MOOC platforms throughout Asia and the Pacific

    2. To formulate national strategies to promote sustainability of MOOCs at three levels: institutional, platform and policy levels

    3. To share case studies on MOOCs as an educational model with high impact

    4. To identify areas of cooperation in Asia-Pacific to drive, sustain and scale MOOCs


Expected outcomes

    1. Launch of a new national platform for MOOCs in Thailand – ThaiMOOC

    2. Signature of the Memorandum of Understanding between JMOOC, K-MOOC and ThaiMOOC

    3. Synthesis report from the Asia-Pacific MOOCs Stakeholders Summit


Participants

Stakeholders throughout Asia and the Pacific with expertise on MOOCs, blended learning, Open Educational Resources and ODL are encouraged to attend. Participating UNESCO Member States and partners include: Brunei, China, Cambodia, India, Indonesia, Japan, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Republic of Korea, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam and the Asian Association of Open Universities (AAOU).


Host organisations

Host

    • Thailand Cyber University (ThaiMOOC)

Co-Hosts

    • Japan Massive Open Online Education Promotion Council (JMOOC)

    • National Institute of Lifelong Education (K-MOOC)

    • UNESCO Asia-Pacific Regional Bureau for Education, Bangkok, Thailand


Dates

    • 2-3 March 2017


Venue


Note: Links mentioned above:

(*1*)

(*2*)

(*3*)

(*4*)