ANNEX III

Foreign Counterpart Endorsement

From:
Dr. Felix (Lex) Librero
University of the Philippines Open University (UPOU)

Date: Mon, 15 Nov 1999 19:25:45 -0500 (EST)
From: Felix Librero <lex@laguna.net>
To: utsumi@www.friends-partners.org
Subject: Re: Inquiry about mini workshop in Manila

Dear Tak,

Thanks for the msg. Regarding a 3-4 day workshop in Manila next spring, I
think that this might be possible. I haven't spoken with our colleagues at
U.P. Manila, but I'm almost certain they would welcome this. Our group, the
Faculty of Health Sciences (of UPOU) now based at U.P. Manila, shall have no
problems with this, too, since they are all interested.

One thing that I have to consider, however, is that during the first week of
March UPOU shall be hosting the 5th Meeting of the Regional Working GRoup on
Satellite Communication Application under the auspices of UN-ESCAP. Then, in
October, the UPOU shall be hosting the 14th Annual Conference of the Asian
Association of Open Universities in Manila.

We can plan this out. I'll take this up with our group soon as I can.
Meanwhile, let me know of the details whenever they are available.

Now, back to the AAOU Conference. I'm the Chair of the Paper Presentations
Committee of the Conference and we have opened our invitations for paper
presenters. May I invite you and others interested to present papers in the
conference?

The theme of the Conference is: Open Learning and Distance Education:
Ideology, Pedagogy and Technology. The Conference shall be from 25-27 October
2000. For more information, please visit the Conference website:
aaou2000@laguna.net.

Our deadline for submission of a 300-word abstract is 29 February 2000. We
shall act immediately on this proposal and will ask presenters to submit their
full-length papers by 30 June 2000 so that we could immediately compile them
on CD for distribution during conference registration.

Any takers? Please get in touch with me.
========================================

From:
Dr. Felix (Lex) Librero
University of the Philippines Open University (UPOU)

Date: Mon, 20 Dec 1999 02:33:05 -0500 (EST)
From: Felix Librero <lex@laguna.net>
To: utsumi@www.friends-partners.org
Subject: Re: Respectfully requesting the dates of mini-workshop in

Dear Tak,

I'm sorry I haven't been able to get in touch earlier. The final schedule for
the 5th Meeting of the Regional Working Group on Satellite Communication
Applications, UNESCAP is 24-26 May 2000. This means that the mini-workshop
may have to be held earlier, say March 2000.

I'm asking Dean Teresita Barcelo, Faculty of Health Sciences, UP Open
University, to coordinate this mini-workshop with you. i have been unable to
closely coordinate this given the other activities I have to attend to.
However, i shall involve myself as much as I can in this undertaking. I shall
also participate in the workshop. To the extent possible, my office shall
provide the necessary assistance to Dean Barcelo.

I have earlier sopught a meeting with our colleagues at U.P. Manila, but we
have so far been unable to get together due to difficulty in schedules. Dean
Barcelo, however, will find it easier to get the people all together to
discuss the details of the workshop since they all stay at UP Manila campus.
I shall join them in their meetings.

Tak, please communicate with Dean Barcelo regarding this workshop. I shall
appreciate, however, if you keep on sharing information with me as we proceed.

Warmest regards,

Lex Librero
========================================

From:
Dr. Teresita I. Barcelo
University of Philippines/Open University

From: "School for Distance Educaton, Manila" <sdemla@mozcom.com>
To: <utsumi@www.friends-partners.org>
Cc: <lex@laguna.net>, <artpesigan@yahoo.com>, <hermant@i-manila.com.ph>
Subject: GUS Project Mini-Workshop
Date: Mon, 3 Jan 2000 11:45:22 +0800

Dear Dr. Utsumi:

Dr. Lex Librero of UPOU has forwarded to me your communications on the GUS
Project Mini- Workshop to be held here in the Philippines. We are proposing
the tentative dates to be on 29-31 March 2000. Please let us know if these
dates are alright with you.

Thank you.

Dean Teresita Barcelo
========================================

From:
Motilal Sharma
Senior Education Specialist
Asian Development Bank

Date: Mon, 9 Aug 1999 09:39:47 +0800
From: msharma@mail.AsianDevBank.org (Motilal Sharma)
To: utsumi@www.friends-partners.org, worldview.sl@lankagn.apc.org
Subject: Distance Education (Regional cooperation)

Dr Utsumi/ Mr Fjortoft,

For your consideration.

Regards.

Moti

9 August 1999

My Dear Dr. Takashi Utsumi

Thank you very much for your message of 4 August 1999. I am very happy to know
that preparations for Tempere Conference are progressing very well. My
suggestions on strengthening distance education and use of electronic media
and information technology in education as well as for peace development are
as follows:

1. As you would know, the major open universities are in South and Southeast
Asia. In India, there are about a dozen, and the number will increase in the
near future. There is also one national open school providing services to
large number of students throughout the country. Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri
Lanka each have well-established universities. Sri Lanka is using distance
education for technical education. Coming to Southeast Asia, Thailand's STOU
is a leading open university in Asia and the Pacific region. In addition,
Thailand has another distance education through other universities. Malaysia,
Indonesia, and Philippines, likewise have distance education programs. On the
other hand, Singapore has a very well-established computer and communications
network covering all institutions and households. In Malaysia the development
of the so-called "cyber corridor" is an encouraging development. Japan is a
leading country in the area of electronics with well-established distance
education institutions. At the same time, Peoples' Republic of China, Hong
Kong and Macao also operate open universities. On the other hand, Australia
can also contribute to distance education because they have been using
distance education for almost a century as one of the major strategies for
education.

2. The Bank's Regional Seminar on Distance Education in 1986 which was held at
STOU brought together the distance education/open universities together to
share their experiences. You must have already seen the two-volume proceedings
and reports produced on the conference. One of the byproducts of this
conference was the establishment of the Association of Asian Open Universities
(AAOU) which meets annually. A major recommendation of the conference was the
establishment of a regional mechanism for strengthening distance education in
the Asia-Pacific countries. This was again repeated in a Round Table
Conference on Distance Education for South Asian Countries organized in
Pakistan in 1989. However, so far it has not taken off the ground and there is
a need for a catalyst to make this concept a reality.

3 At the same time, the private sector and NGOs in Asia Pacific are rapidly
entering the distance education field through dozens of private sector TV and
radio channels, e.g., CNN, Sony, BBC, ZEE, etc. These have tremendous impact
on the everyday lives of Asia's vast population. But no institution or
mechanism are involved in properly coordinating and maximizing their vast
potential for peace development, functional literacy, poverty reduction,
environmental protection, and gender issues.

GLOSAS/USA, under your inspiring and effective leadership, and the WorldView
International Foundation (WIF), Sri Lanka (an international NGO), which has a
network of country media centers in Asia and Pacific including Thailand and
Malaysia can provide a forum in networking all distance education
institutions/programs in Asia and the Pacific which will serve more than half
the world's population and the largest number of the planet's youth and poor
(900 million). This means that there is need to design and develop an
implementable regional mechanism for effective networking among all distance
education institutions using high-tech electronic media and information
technology; and also involving the grassroots stakeholders. GLOSAS/USA can
provide leadership in the use of high tech whereas WIF can provide assistance
in designing strategies for involvement of grassroots using development
communications based on electronic media.

There should be one global focal point which will be the GLOSAS/USA and WIF
coalition, operating as one flagship institution, strategically located in a
given country. Then operating from this flagship will be a number of
subregional or satellite mechanisms such as in India (for South Asia),
Thailand (for Indochina), Philippines/Malaysia (for Southeast Asia), Fiji (for
Pacific Islands). The flagship and satellite mechanisms will undertake a
number of tasks depending on the capability and reach of these institutions
involved and the beneficiaries targeted in terms of media, instructional
materials, quality control, standardization, certification, information
technology, and management and governance system as well as financial
operations.

These preliminary ideas can be further elaborated and operationalized to
define the mechanisms and investment strategies.

The sharing of resources and expertise, as well as the utilization of media
for networking, should also be a primary concern.

It is necessary to set up a small expert group which clear-cut terms of
reference (TOR) and time schedule to develop a total feasibility study and
investment plan for setting up the regional mechanism to strengthen distance
education and lifelong learning in Asia and the Pacific. It is in this
connection that I thought your good self and Mr. Arne Fjortoft, with your vast
experience and connections, could meet and explore the possibility of jointly
starting positive steps towards this concept.

Later, at the appropriate stage, you may then share a clearer proposal with
multilateral and bilateral donors. I am confident that if a strong regional
mechanism is established, it can optimize the use of existing institutions and
will not require more capital investments. This will also help in improving
the quality of distance education of which most of the institutions are
suffering. It will further strengthen efficient educaiton services to the
disadvantaged and poor especially those in rural areas, including women who
have not been able to benefit from the fruits of development.

I think that you and Arne are spearheading a movement of the future; and it
will be most opportune to seize the moment now, not tomorrow. I would be happy
to assist in anyway you deem appropriate.

Continue to Draft/Travel grant application to NSF for Manila Mini-workshop (5 of 5)


**********************************************************************
* Takeshi Utsumi, Ph.D., P.E., Chairman, GLOSAS/USA *
* (GLObal Systems Analysis and Simulation Association in the U.S.A.) *
* Laureate of Lord Perry Award for Excellence in Distance Education *
* Laureate of Planet Earth Pathfinder Award *
* Founder of CAADE *
* (Consortium for Affordable and Accessible Distance Education) *
* President Emeritus and V.P. for Technology and Coordination of *
* Global University System (GUS) *
* 43-23 Colden Street, Flushing, NY 11355-3998, U.S.A. *
* Tel: 718-939-0928; Fax: 718-939-0656 (day time only--prefer email) *
* Email: utsumi@columbia.edu; Tax Exempt ID: 11-2999676 *
* http://friends-partners.org/GLOSAS/ *
**********************************************************************

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