Hyderabad: BRAOU organises OU OER fest

Hyderabad : Dr B R Ambedkar Open University, in collaboration with the Commonwealth Educational Media Centre for Asia (CEMCA), organised the Open Universities-Open Educational Resources (OU OER) fest at Dr BR Ambedkar Open University Campus, Hyderabad, on Thursday.

Dr Nirmal Jeet Singh Kalsi, former chairman of the National Council for Vocational Education and Training (NCVET), highlighted the importance of open universities sharing best practices and research findings to enhance the implementation of open distance e-learning programs. This sharing of knowledge enables open universities to better equip and empower individuals who lack access to traditional educational resources. Additionally, he noted that open universities have the advantage of developing and providing courses based on the immediate requirements of the learners, making it easier to meet their current needs on demand.

Dr B Shadrach, Director, the Commonwealth Educational Media Centre for Asia (CEMCA), stated that university faculty members ought to concentrate on conducting research that is accountable. It is recommended that educational institutions should work harder to support skill development in order to develop these skills. Professor K Seetharama Rao, the Vice-Chancellor of Dr BRAOU, emphasised the current challenges in achieving the targets set forth by the Sustainable Development Goals and the National Education Policy 2020. “Open universities are pivotal in driving the national Gross Enrollment Ratio (GER) in higher education, with BRAOU making a significant contribution of over 17 per cent GER in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh,” he said.