ICDE Institutional Prize of Excellence
A jury of international higher education experts judged the University of Southern Queensland the best dual-mode university in the world for its global education initiatives and expertise in providing flexible learning opportunities to the world.
The Executive Committee of the International Council for Open and Distance Learning (ICDE), based in Oslo Norway, awarded its top two Prizes of Excellence for 1999 to USQ.
The ICDE has membership in 130 countries and is officially recognised by the United Nations as the global non-governmental organisation responsible for the field of open and distance learning, and is affiliated with the United Nations through UNESCO.
The Council awarded USQ the Institutional Prize of Excellence for a dual mode institution in recognition of the University's very significant contribution to providing education at a distance to the world and in recognition of its leadership and innovation in the field of distance learning, while at the same time maintaining a thriving traditional on-campus operation.
Director of USQ's Distance and e-Learning Centre Professor Jim Taylor was been awarded with the Individual Prize of Excellence for his active role in ICDE and USQ's Distance and e-Learning program over many years. Professor Taylor's award was presented at the 19th ICDE World Conference on Teaching and Learning in a Networked World held in Vienna from 20-24 June, 1999. The Conference was sponsored by world companies and bodies including AT&T, The World Bank, UNESCO, and UNICEF.
The Secretary General of ICDE, Reidar Roll, based in Oslo, Norway, praised Professor Taylor for his role in ICDE and internationally while at the same time developing the USQ's Distance and e-Learning Centre into one of the best in the world, operating at the very cutting edge of developments. He stated that Professor Taylor has also made significant contributions to research and development in open and distance learning.
Professor Taylor said the prizes were recognition of a 'genuine institutional effort' over 20 years.
"Since the distance education program was established in 1977, practically every section of the university has contributed directly to its success. It has been a major team effort by the entire university."
Professor Taylor, who will celebrate another milestone - his 20th year at USQ next month, said through further changes in technology, developments over the next 20 years will probably be just as spectacular for the university.
"Distance education has already benefited from the growing market of life-long learners who recognise that continuing professional development is essential today. This group and others will also lay the foundation for rapid growth in online education. Within five years it is quite likely that more people will be studying online than through the traditional distance education mode."
USQ Vice Chancellor Professor Peter Swannell said the awards were international recognition of USQ's long-standing record as the world's best provider of education by distance and other flexible delivery modes including the Internet.
"Queensland and Australia can be very proud of our record of leadership in breaking down the global tyranny of distance. The Internet, in association with other modes of flexible learning, is revolutionising education so that in the not too distant future, people anywhere on the planet will be able to enrol and study in their place, in their time, and in their style," Professor Swannell said.
He said the ICDE prizes provided further evidence that USQ was leading the nation into the new era of globally competitive online and distance education.
"USQ is a regional university with an international mission. Almost 75 percent of our students study off campus, and more students study off shore through flexible learning modes with USQ than with any other Australian university," he said.
The awarding of the prizes coincides with a major USQ initiative - USQOnline, which takes Internet delivered Australian higher education to a new level of pedagogical and technological quality and sophistication.