Shahab Khan <Afroz@khi.compol.com>

Dr. Paul Lefrere <p.lefrere@open.ac.uk>
 

Dear Shahab:
============

(1)  Many thanks for your msg (ATTACHMENT I).

(2)  I appreciated your very interesting inquiry.  Some examples to reply to
     your inquiry are as follows;

     (a)  The most successful distance learning institution in the US is
          National Technological University which has a consortium of
          engineering departments of some 45 or so universities.

          Its president, Dr. Lionel V. Baldwin, once told me that the most
          popular course via satellite did not come from a big name school,
          but from the University of Alaska in Fairbanks which is located
          beyond the Arctic Circle, the most northern reach with a US
          domestic satellite.

          I then invited the professor from Fairbanks during our "Global
          Lecture Hall (GLH)" videoconferencing in the summer of 1993 and
          sent it to the conference of the International Federation of
          Information Processing (IFIP) held in Trondheim, Norway.

     (b)  I attended a seminar of a professor of a big name school in New
          York City who presented a complex electron movement in a molecule
          in 3D format.

          I then saw an intriguing computer teaching program of the same
          subject in Brazil which was much more attractive to high school
          students than the one of the professor in NYC.

          I subsequently made some publicity about his program.  Lo and Behold!
          A European colleague offered the Brazilian colleague a chunk of
          money in hundreds thousands dollars to buy-out the right of the
          program.  Alas, he declined the offer since he could market it in
          Brazil on a much bigger scale.

     (c)  Years ago, I learned that large US electronic firms have satellite
          linkages to Bangalore, India to have constant contacts with their
          affiliates.  American firms sent specifications of computer
          programs to India for the Indian programmers working on them.
          The information and telecom technologies in India then flourished
          -- see my previous distribution on "Knowledge generation with
          broadband Internet - February 26, 2000" at <http://www.kagawa-jc.ac.jp/~steve/global-univ-2000.html>.

     (d)  Almost 30 years ago, I worked on the basic design of ethylene (of
          petrochemical) plants at a firm in Boston.  We just needed to have
          paper, pencil, slide-rule, computer, etc. -- and of course, the
          biggest asset was our BRAINS, but not manufacturing facilities with
          a huge investment.  It was a totally intelligence and knowledge based
          industry.  The plants we designed did cost almost US$800 million
          per unit.  Even assuming 10% of this for designing fee it was a
          substantial business.  The firm I worked for received many orders to
          design it every year.

               Another example is Japan.  Japan does not have any natural
               resources and had devastating destruction of industries
               during World War II.  Yet, their brain power made it the
               world's second economic power nowadays.

     That is, intelligent and knowledgeable distance learning courses can come
     from anywhere on the world -- including Pakistan.  They will be the main
     driving force of the 21st century global economy.

     The above can be emulated anywhere of the world -- especially so, if
     the broadband Internet will be available to every corner of the world
     -- for which we are now striving!!

(3)  Another feature of global education and learning is the educational
     EXCHANGE.  It's most renowned one is the Fulbright exchange program.

     Once I had an extraordinary, memorable honor to visit Senator Fulbright,
     thanks to the kind introduction by David Johnson, former president of the
     Fulbright Association.  On farewell, I pledged him to make my best
     effort to spread his spirit to every corner of the world.

     ATTACHMENT II below is an email I recently received -- including
     President Clinton's statement on global education.  You may read it
     with your country's future viewpoint.

          Thanks to Internet, the US economy is now booming -- with 107
          months' continuous economic expansion (the longest one in history)
          and with the unemployment rate at 4.2%, the lowest in the past several
          decades.  The US government is now increasing special visa quotas
          to import overseas experts to supplement the shortage of
          programmers in the US.  Most of them come from India which is now
          regarded as the most advanced country in software programming.  I
          am sure that it can be emulated in any other country, if
          appropriate education is available to foster such experts.

          As President Clinton says, the education exchange contributes $9
          billion to the US economy.  Canada has about a half of that.  The
          US and Canadian governments are now starting to promote education as
          an export commodity. The British government invests $80 million to
          encourage educational institutions in the U.K. to do so.

          On the other hand, the US needs 1 million school teachers in the
          coming years. Education at home is becoming a new trend because
          of violence at schools. Is there any way to cope with this new
          situations by retired teachers and/or from other countries with
          the use of broadband Internet? -- i.e., an export business from
          overseas countries to the US.

(4)  Internet is considered to flatten hierarchical structures of feudalistic
     societies, by crumbling all sorts of barriers down. It is said to be the
     best tool for realizing ultimate democracy, i.e., participatory democracy.

          ATTACHMENT II msg says that "education and democracy go hand in hand."

     Our GUS project is not only for establishing distance learning systems on a
     global scale, but also for community development with the involvement
     of local hospitals, libraries, local governments, kiosks, etc., etc.
     Thus it is social *ENGINEERING* with reformation, evolution and even
     revolutionary movement in some societies.  We are to foster global citizens
     of a global village. What we are aiming for now transcends the visions of
     any current politicians in any country -- even at its highest level,
     since they are still concerned only with their own countries' education.

          My previous distribution once quoted a phrase from an article
          saying that "Competition among countries in the 21st century will
          be the competition of their educational systems."  You may tell
          this to your government officials.

(5)  I am very glad to hear of your willingness to have a workshop in
     Pakistan.  YES, certainly, the paradigm shift and mind-change are the
     most difficult part of our project. It would be our utmost pleasure if we
     could be of any help to your organizing the workshop.

     Let's talk about this when we meet at the workshop at the Open
     University in U.K. -- about which dates I am waiting a msg from Paul Lefrere.

(6)  BTW, did you submit your Grass Roots Fund application to the Japanese
     Embassy in Islamabad?  Any reply from them yet?

Best, Tak
            ****************************************
                          ATTACHMENT I

From: "shahab  khan" <afroz@khi.compol.com>
To: "Tak" <utsumi@columbia.edu>
Subject: DISTANCE LEARNING IN PAKISTAN
Date: Tue, 25 Apr 2000 21:02:29 +0500

Dear Professor Tak

I have been discussing the delivery of coursware with many educationist,
Adminstrators and goverment officails in Pakistan. However, due to lack of
awareness and information about the trends in ICT, many of the Universities
perceive distance edcuation as a competitor and have asked me if couresweare
could come from foreign Universities, what would happen to the local
Universities courseware and what would they offer.

I am having a very tough time in explaining the ICT revolution and need to
deploy distance learning technologies for Quality, affordable and mass education.

This is why I am very interested in organizing a workshop in Pakistan in
collaboration wih the GUS so that awareness may be improved.

I always take inspiration form you and your mails and would be very grateful
if you could guide me in this matter.

There is howvever some success in that we have been able to include distance
learning in the IT policy which is being framed by the govermnet. I shall
send you a copy as soon as I get it.

Regards,

Shahab Khan
            ****************************************
                         ATTACHMENT II

Date:         Mon, 24 Apr 2000 16:30:36 -0400
Sender: Fulbright Discussion <FULBRITE@LISTSERV.LOUISVILLE.EDU>
From: Fulbright Association <fulbright@fulbright.org>
Subject:      President Clinton & Secretary Riley Highlight International
              Education
To: FULBRITE@LISTSERV.LOUISVILLE.EDU

INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION POLICY

In response to a request from the Departments of State and Education,
President Clinton has issued an executive memorandum on international
education, stating the need for "a coherent and coordinated international
education strategy."  The April 19 memorandum outlines the administration's
priorities in the area of international education, including the support of
international educational exchanges, the expansion of foreign-language
education, and the advancement of technologies that assist in the spread of
knowledge globally.

The executive memorandum directs the Secretaries of State and Education and
other heads of executive departments and agencies to work in partnership
with the private sector to further the government's international education
strategy.  The memorandum contains ten specific actions to be taken,
including identifying ways to attract foreign students to the United States,
promoting international awareness and skills in the classroom, strengthening
and expanding successful models of international exchange, and promoting the
use of technology internationally.  The full text of President Clinton's
memorandum can be viewed below.

Also on April 19, Secretary of Education Richard W. Riley delivered a major
address calling for a renewed emphasis on international education.  Speaking
at the French Embassy in Washington, D.C., Secretary Riley reported on the
growing importance of education worldwide, giving examples from his recent
two-week trip to Asia.  One of the common areas of interest he observed was
"the importance every nation places on increasing exchanges."  Secretary
Riley also noted that the post-Cold War era offers an opportunity to "define
a new set of principles for international education that respond to the
contemporary challenges of our time."  He spoke on the growing ability of
technology to facilitate the sharing of information across borders and
highlighted the importance of "educational diplomacy," stating that
"education and democracy go hand in hand."  The full text of Secretary
Riley's speech can be found on the web site of the Department of Education,
at http://www.ed.gov/Speeches/04-2000/000419.html.

# # #
            ========================================

April 19, 2000

THE WHITE HOUSE

Office of the Press Secretary
(Oklahoma City, Oklahoma)

MEMORANDUM FOR THE HEADS OF EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENTS AND AGENCIES

SUBJECT:  International Education Policy

To continue to compete successfully in the global economy and to maintain
our role as a world leader, the United States needs to ensure that its
citizens develop a broad understanding of the world, proficiency in other
languages, and knowledge of other cultures.  America's leadership also
depends on building ties with those who will guide the political, cultural,
and economic development of their countries in the future.  A coherent and
coordinated international education strategy will help us meet the twin
challenges of preparing our citizens for a global environment while
continuing to attract and educate future leaders from abroad.

Since World War II, the Federal Government, in partnership with institutions
of higher education and other educational organizations, has sponsored
programs to help Americans gain the international experience and skills they
will need to meet the challenges of an increasingly interdependent world.
During this same period, our colleges and universities have developed an
educational system whose reputation attracts students from all over the
world.  But our work is not done.   Today, the defense of U.S. interests,
the effective management of global issues, and even an understanding of our
Nation's diversity require ever-greater contact with, and understanding of,
people and cultures beyond our borders.

We are fortunate to count among our staunchest friends abroad those who have
experienced our country and our values through in-depth exposure as students
and scholars.  The nearly 500,000 international students now studying in the
United States at the postsecondary level not only contribute some $9 billion
annually to our economy, but also enrich our communities with their
cultures, while developing a lifelong appreciation for ours.  The goodwill
these students bear for our country will in the future constitute one of our
greatest foreign policy assets.

It is the policy of the Federal Government to support international
education. We are committed to:

-- encouraging students from other countries to study in the United States;

-- promoting study abroad by U.S. students;

-- supporting the exchange of teachers, scholars, and citizens at all levels of society;

-- enhancing programs at U.S. institutions that build international
partnerships and expertise;

-- expanding high-quality foreign language learning and in-depth knowledge
of other cultures by Americans;

-- preparing and supporting teachers in their efforts to interpret other
countries and cultures for their students; and

-- advancing new technologies that aid the spread of knowledge throughout the world.

The Federal Government cannot accomplish these goals alone.  Educational
institutions, State and local governments, non-governmental organizations,
and the business community all must contribute to this effort.  Together, we
must increase and broaden our commitment.  Therefore, I direct the heads of
executive departments and agencies, working in partnership with the private
sector, to take the following actions:

1)  The Secretaries of State and Education shall support the efforts of
schools and colleges to improve access to high-quality international
educational experiences by increasing the number and diversity of students
who study and intern abroad, encouraging students and institutions to choose
nontraditional study-abroad locations, and helping under-represented U.S.
institutions offer and promote study-abroad opportunities for their students.

2)   The Secretaries of State and Education, in partnership with other
governmental and nongovernmental organizations, shall identify steps to
attract qualified post-secondary students from overseas to the United
States, including improving the availability of accurate information
overseas about U.S. educational opportunities.

3)  The heads of agencies, including the Secretaries of State and Education,
and others as appropriate, shall review the effect of U.S. Government
actions on the international flow of students and scholars as well as on
citizen and professional exchanges, and take steps to address unnecessary
obstacles, including those involving visa and tax regulations, procedures, and policies.

4)  The Secretaries of State and Education shall support the efforts of
State and local governments and educational institutions to promote
international awareness and skills in the classroom and on campuses.  Such
efforts include strengthening foreign language learning at all levels,
including efforts to achieve bi-literacy, helping teachers acquire the
skills needed to understand and interpret other countries and cultures for
their students, increasing opportunities for the exchange of faculty,
administrators, and students, and assisting educational institutions in
other countries to strengthen their teaching of English.

5)  The Secretaries of State and Education and the heads of other agencies
shall take steps to ensure that international educational exchange programs,
including the Fulbright program, are coordinated through the Interagency
Working Group on United States Government-Sponsored International Exchange
and Training, to maximize existing resources in a nonduplicative way, and to
ensure that the exchange programs receive the support they need to fulfill
their mission of increased mutual understanding.

6)  The Secretary of Education, in cooperation with other agencies, shall
continue to support efforts to improve U.S. education by developing
comparative information, including benchmarks, on educational performance
and practices.  The Secretary of Education shall also share U.S. educational
expertise with other countries.

7)  The Secretaries of State and Education shall strengthen and expand
models of international exchange that build lasting cross-national
partnerships among educational institutions with common interests and
complementary objectives.

8)   The Secretary of Education and the heads of other agencies, in
partnership with State governments, academic institutions, and the business
community, shall strengthen programs that build international expertise in
U.S. institutions, with the goal of making international education an
integral component of U.S. undergraduate education and, through graduate and
professional training and research, enhancing the Nation's capacity to
produce the international and foreign-language expertise necessary for U.S.
global leadership and security.

9)  The Secretaries of State and Education, in cooperation with other
agencies, the academic community, and the private sector, shall promote wise
use of technology internationally, examining the implications of borderless
education.  The heads of agencies shall take steps to ensure that the
opportunities for using technology to expand international education do not
result in a widening of the digital divide.

10)  The Secretaries of State and Education, in conjunction with other
agencies, shall ensure that actions taken in response to this memorandum are
fully integrated into the Government Performance and Results Act (GPRA)
framework by means of specific goals, milestones, and measurable results,
which shall be included in all GPRA reporting activities, including
strategic plans, performance plans, and program performance reports.

Items 1-10 of this memorandum shall be conducted subject to the availability
of appropriations, consistent with the agencies' Priorities and my budget,
and to the extent permitted by law.

The Vice President shall coordinate the U.S. Government's international
education strategy.  Further, I direct that the heads of agencies report to
the Vice President and to me on their progress in carrying out the terms of
this memorandum.

This memorandum is a statement of general policy and does not confer a
private right of action on any individual or group.

WILLIAM J. CLINTON

# # #
            ****************************************
                      List of Distribution

Shahab Khan
Director
Planwel University
Planwel Institute of Science and Technology (PLANWEL)
A-1, L.C.H.S
Gulistan-e-Jauhar, Block-20
Karachi. 75290, Pakistan
Tel: 011-92-21-811-5851
     011-92-21-811-5094
Fax: 011-92-21-811-6178
Afroz@khi.compol.com
afroz@planwel.edu
http://www.planwel.com
http://www.planwel.edu
http://www.planwel.edu/Research/tampere.html

Dr. Paul Lefrere
Senior Lecturer
Institute of Educational Technology
Open University
Walton Hall
Milton Keynes MK7 6AA
UNITED KINGDOM
Tel: +44-1-908 65 33 88
Fax: +44-1-908 67 28 02
p.lefrere@open.ac.uk
http://www-iet.open.ac.uk/

**********************************************************************
* 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  *
* 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://www.friends-partners.org/GLOSAS/                            *
**********************************************************************

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