News


Empowering Educators in Maldives to Support Learners with SLD

A comprehensive three-day training programme titled “Mainstreaming Students with Specific Learning Disabilities (SLD)” was held in Malé, Maldives, from 14 to 16 June 2025. Organised by the Commonwealth Educational Media Centre for Asia (CEMCA), the regional centre of the Commonwealth of Learning (COL), in collaboration with the Department of Inclusive Education (DoIE), Ministry of Education (MoE), Maldives, and ChangeInkk Foundation, India, the training equipped educators and policymakers with practical knowledge, tools, and strategies to support inclusive education across the country.

The programme was inaugurated with addresses by Dr Aishath Wadheefa, Minister of State for Education and Dr Fathmath Nishan, Director General, DoIE, followed by a keynote from Dr B. Shadrach, Director, COL-CEMCA. An overview of the training objectives and structure was provided by Ms Hafsa Abdulla, Senior Inclusive Education Analyst, DoIE, setting the tone for three days of intensive learning and collaboration.

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Sri Lankan Delegation Visits SCERT Delhi for Knowledge Exchange

The delegation of 20 senior Educational Administrative Service Officers from Sri Lanka visited the State Council of Educational Research and Training (SCERT), Delhi, on 16 June 2025. Facilitated by the Commonwealth Educational Media Centre for Asia (COL-CEMCA) in partnership with the National Institute of Educational Planning and Administration (NIEPA), the visit aimed to promote mutual learning on key educational reforms and administrative practices.

The delegation, led by Ms Ishanthie Jayawardana from the Ministry of Education, Sri Lanka, comprised Zonal Directors, Deputy Directors, and Assistant Directors of Education. They were accompanied by Dr Mona Sedwal from NIEPA and Ms Nabila Ata from CEMCA. The primary interest of Sri Lankan delegation was to understand SCERT Delhi’s role in curriculum design, teacher training, decentralised planning, and integration of technology in pedagogy. The visit also sought to explore collaborative opportunities that could inform policy and practice in Sri Lanka’s education system.

The programme began with a warm welcome address by Shri Vikas Kalia, Director of SCERT, who emphasised India’s longstanding commitment to educational reform and SCERT’s mandate in leading academic governance in Delhi.

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COL-CEMCA and TNOU Host Workshop on Micro-Credentials to Enhance Youth Employability

In a strategic move to strengthen digital education and promote employability-focused learning, the Commonwealth Educational Media Centre for Asia (COL-CEMCA) and Tamil Nadu Open University (TNOU) successfully conducted a three-day capacity-building workshop titled “Online Content Creation for Micro-Credentials” from 9–11 June 2025 at the TNOU campus in Chennai.

The workshop marked a significant step towards aligning TNOU’s academic offerings with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, the National Credit Framework (NCrF), and national digital education priorities. With the participation of over 50 faculty members from diverse disciplines, the event provided hands-on training in instructional design, e-content creation, video production, LMS integration, digital credentialing, and learning analytics.

The inaugural session featured insights from prominent academic leaders, including Professor S. Arumugam, Vice Chancellor of TNOU, who stressed the transformative role of micro-credentials in enhancing learner employability and lifelong learning. The keynote address by Professor K. Narayanasamy, Vice Chancellor, Dr M.G.R. Medical University, reinforced the urgency for agile, modular, and skills-based learning pathways.

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Vice Chancellors Lead the Way in AI-Ready Higher Education

In a landmark move towards building AI readiness in Indian universities, the Commonwealth Educational Media Centre for Asia (COL-CEMCA), and the Association of Indian Universities (AIU), jointly organised an AI Masterclass for 60 Vice Chancellors (VCs) from Indian Universities on 11 June 2025 in New Delhi, India. The event aimed to foster a deeper understanding of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and its transformative potential across education, research, and administration.

The conference commenced with a welcome address by Dr Pankaj Mittal, Secretary General, AIU. In his address, Dr B. Shadrach, Director of COL-CEMCA, underscored the vision of equipping university leaders with the necessary knowledge to navigate the rapidly evolving AI landscape, which translated into the AI Masterclass for VCs. “It is essential that our Vice Chancellors not only understand AI’s capabilities but also lead strategic integration of AI into institutional frameworks,” he stated.

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COL-CEMCA and IGNOU Lead National Effort to Enhance Graduate Employability

The Commonwealth Educational Media Centre for Asia (CEMCA), in collaboration with Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU), recently concluded a landmark three-day national Capacity Building Workshop on Implementing Graduate Employability and Understanding Skills Qualification Packs at IGNOU headquarters in New Delhi, India. Held from 4 to 6 June 2025, the workshop marked a significant milestone in advancing skill-based, inclusive, and outcome-oriented education across India’s open universities. It brought together Vice Chancellors and senior officials from 17 open universities across India, and provided them an opportunity to engage with NCVET officials, industry leaders, experts, and other stakeholders.

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