ICDE is an official partner of the Consortium for the Benchmarking Framework for Online, Open, Smart, and Technology enhanced Higher Education that seeks to establish and promote a common understanding and criteria for quality in technology-enhanced higher education.

ICDE Special Resource Page on Coronavirus (COVID-19)

Facing the corona virus outbreak, more than ever open, distance and online teaching is needed. Join us in our efforts to help educators succeed through the crisis.

WHO WE ARE

The International Council for Open and Distance Education (ICDE) is the leading, global membership organisation that works towards bringing accessible, quality education to all through online, open and distance learning.

WORKING TOGETHER, WE GO FURTHER

Our members are from all regions of the world. They are change makers who network and collaborate to share their expertise, insight and resources to take on one of the worlds toughest challenges - to bring inclusive, flexible and quality learning and teaching to all in the digital age.

Join the ICDE community of passionate advocates as they work towards this one common goal.

Learn More

OUR IMPACT

ICDE was founded in 1938 in Canada as the International Council for Correspondence Education.

Over 80 years later the global community of ICDE continues to works together to meet the new global challenges presented by the knowledge intensive economy and digital transformation.

15+

Million Students Impacted

Our members have an estimated 15 million+ students enrolled across 6 continents.

190+

Higher Education Institutions

190+ higher education and research institutions in over 70 countries are part of the ICDE global community.

18+

Organisations collaborating

ICDE has collaborative partnerships with 18+ organisations around the world all working towards a common goal - accessible, quality education for all.

ADVOCACY & KNOWLEDGE EXCHANGE

ICDE represents its members and provides advocacy and leadership around the advancement of online, open and distance learning.

The ICDE community together undertakes a number of activities and projects that contribute towards the global mission of the Sustainable Development Goal 4 (SDG4) - Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all.

SDG4 is part of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, adopted by all United Nations Member States in 2015. At its heart are the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which are an urgent call for action by all countries to recognise that ending poverty and other deprivations must go hand-in-hand with strategies that improve health and education, reduce inequality, and spur economic growth – all while tackling climate change and working to preserve our oceans and forests.

KNOWLEDGE HUB

Reports/ Publications/ Case Studies/Projects and much more…

ICDE Publications Image Gallery

BUILDING GLOBAL NETWORKS

ICDE facilitates partnerships and cross border collaboration through events, specialist networks, projects and task forces.

EVENT LAEGE HOME PAGE.png — MAKING CONNECTIONS

Events and specialist networks enable the ICDE community to connect, share, learn and undertake research and innovation activities to further the development of online, open and distance education.

Events Listings

UNESCO World Higher Education Conference 2022

Register for upcoming ENCORE+ circle events

ICDE EXPERT GROUPS, CHAIRS & TASK FORCES

Committees Banner .jpg — CONTRIBUTE AS AN ICDE EXPERT

ICDE expert group members from all regions, share scientific, practical and regulatory expertise on many subject areas relating to the advancement of quality, accessible, online, open and distance education.
*All committee members are approved by the ICDE Executive Committee.

LATEST FROM ICDE NETWORKS & COMMITTEES

Knowledge Hub, Reports, Events etc.

Feb 20, 2022

ICDE Quality Network

The Focal Points on Quality (FPQs) have a leading and coordinating role for quality work in their respective regions.

Feb 20, 2022

Feb 8, 2022

ICDE OER Advocacy Committee

The ICDE OER Advocacy Committee works to increase global recognition of OER; and to provide policy support for the uptake, use and reuse of OER.

Feb 8, 2022

Apr 10, 2018

ICDE Working Group on the Present and Future of Alternative Digital Credentials

ICDE invited members to submit an Expression of Interest for participating in the Working Group on the Present and Future of Alternative Digital Credentials. The working group has been appointed.

Apr 10, 2018

Feb 26, 2017

ICDE Research and Innovation Task Force: Learning Analytics

The Research and Innovation Task Force force was set up by the ICDE Executive Committee in January 2016 with the mandate to encourage the development of best practices and standards in open, distance, flexible and online education, including e-learning.

Feb 26, 2017

Dec 25, 2016

ICDE Global Doctoral Consortium

The Global Doctoral Consortium (GDC) is a global initiative supporting doctoral students in the research field related to online, open, flexible and technology enhanced learning.

Dec 25, 2016

Aug 26, 2015

ICDE Presidents’ Forum

Once a year, ICDE invites member Presidents, Rectors and Vice Chancellors (or their formal replacement) and the heads of distance education departments to attend the closed ICDE Presidents’ Forum.

Aug 26, 2015

Research and Innovation Taskforce

The ICDE Research and Innovation Taskforce conducted research in 2014 to better understand the state of research and innovation in open, distance, flexible and online education, including e-learning across ICDE members.

Aug 26, 2015