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Maldives Lights Up Red: Following Through on Inclusive Education Commitment

Malé, November 2025

In a vibrant display of commitment to inclusive education, students in the Maldives recently participated in the global Go Red for Dyslexia campaign, taking a bold step forward in raising awareness about Specific Learning Disabilities (SLD) and demonstrating the nation's dedication to building more inclusive learning environments.

This initiative follows the Maldives' active participation in COL-CEMCA’s Pre-Conference Workshop on “Designing a Teacher Competency Framework for Inclusive Education in Schools,” held on 9 September 2025 in Gaborone, Botswana. At that workshop, high-level representatives from Maldives joined counterparts from India, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Malaysia to co-develop a regional teacher competency framework for inclusive education, with particular focus on children with specific learning disabilities.

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Meet and Greet: COL's Peter Scott Engages with Indian Education Leaders

New Delhi, 11 November 2025

Professor Peter Scott, President and CEO of the Commonwealth of Learning (COL), initiated his pan-India visit with a ‘Meet and Greet’ session at the India Habitat Centre, New Delhi. He engaged with ambassadors, government officials, vice chancellors, and stakeholders to discuss future education plans, understand the government's expectations, and explore collaboration opportunities to advance education and skills.

Professor Peter Scott highlighted COL's initiatives, including strengthening open schooling, teacher education, vocational education, higher education, farmers’ education and technology-enhanced learning. He also shared innovation projects leveraging AI, digitalisation, and new business models to boost employability and education. Dr B. Shadrach, Director, COL-CEMCA, highlighted CEMCA’s key programmes such as Faculty Development Programme (FDP), Teacher in the Loop AI (TiLAI) and strengthening open education and skills training.

The discussion, led by Professor Ami Upadhyay, Vice Chancellor of Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar State Open University, focused on knowledge exchange and sharing experiences with other countries. Key discussions include:

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COL-CEMCA and University of Lucknow Partner to Upskill Educators through Faculty Development Programme

New Delhi, 7 November 2025

The Commonwealth Educational Media Centre for Asia (COL-CEMCA) and The University of Lucknow, in collaboration with SWAYAM@Lkouniv, recently hosted a five-day online Faculty Development Programme (FDP) from 29 October to 3 November 2025, on “Empowering Higher Education Institutions in Technology-enabled and Blended Learning”.

The FDP aimed to enhance the digital competencies of educators and strengthen institutional capacities for technology-integrated teaching and learning. It was attended by more than 400 faculty members from higher education institutions in India and abroad.  

The inaugural session commenced with Opening Remarks by Dr. Kiran Lata Dangwal, SWAYAM Coordinator, University of Lucknow, who underscored the rising importance of technology-enabled education in ensuring accessibility, inclusivity, and active learner engagement. She noted that digital tools and blended pedagogical approaches have become indispensable to improving the quality of higher education in India. She expressed gratitude to COL-CEMCA for its partnership and ongoing commitment to academic innovation.

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COL-CEMCA at the International Conference on Libraries Empowering Communities: A Global Perspective

Thiruvananthapuram, 2 November 2025

On 2 November 2025, the Commonwealth Educational Media Centre for Asia (COL-CEMCA) participated in the International Conference on Libraries Empowering Communities: A Global Perspective, organised by the P. N. Panicker Foundation at Kanakakkunnu Palace, Thiruvananthapuram. The event brings together experts, policymakers, library professionals, academicians, and digital innovators to discuss libraries' evolving role in the knowledge society.

Dr. B. Shadrach, Director, COL-CEMCA, delivered the Keynote Address, emphasising how libraries can evolve as community knowledge hubs that bridge digital divides and foster lifelong learning. Dr. B. Shadrach highlighted the need for libraries to embrace open educational resources, digital inclusivity, and AI-driven innovations while retaining their core mission, empowering communities through equitable access to knowledge.

Representing CEMCA, Mr. T Khalid, Project Consultant, led a session titled “AI for Librarians: Reimagining Libraries as Innovation Hubs for Communities.” The session explored how librarians can integrate AI tools into their daily work, becoming AI advocates, ethical information curators, and facilitators of AI literacy.

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