ICDE Global Doctoral Consortium (GDC) relaunched
On Monday 17 October, ICDE and partners officially re-launched the ICDE Global Doctoral Consortium (GDC), a virtual community platform for post-graduate and doctoral students that offers a network of expertise and advice from experts in the field of Open, Flexible and Distance Learning (OFDL).
ICDE was joined by partners and members, as well as current and former students at the virtual re-launch of the Global Doctoral Consortium. ICDE Secretary General, Torunn Gjelsvik, kicked off the launch with an introduction to the concept of the consortium, its history and aims, and the programme highlights.
Were you unable to attend the GDC launch event? Watch the event recording here.
Next followed introductions of and from the core partners of the GDC, including Dr. Mansoor Al Awar from the Hamdan Bin Mohammed Smart University (HBMSU), Professor Mpine Makoe from the University of South Africa (UNISA), Professor Yngve Troye Nordkvelle from Inland Norway University of Applied Sciences (INN), and Asia e University (AeU).
“It was wonderful to have so many interested parties join the ICDE Global Doctoral Consortium re-launch. We were pleased to hear not only from our partners, but also from previous PhD students who benefitted from the consortium in the past, and who shared their encouragement and enthusiasm with current PhD students. ”
Professor Moustafa Hassan, Vice Chancellor of HBMSU, presents the outline of the GDC digital platform.
One of the main partners collaborating on the GDC is the Hamdan Bin Mohammed Smart University (HBMSU). The University has developed a digital community platform on Moodle, which will function as the consortium meeting place. During the meeting, Professor Moustafa Hassan, Vice Chancellor of HBMSU, presented an insightful outline of this digital platform, showcasing how it will allow for two-way communication, knowledge exchange and support between scholars and students, across institutions and geographical locations.
Dr. Mansoor Al Awar, Chancellor of HBMSU, said: “We are delighted to launch the GDC in collaboration with ICDE, based on our Cloud Campus system. We look forward to further strengthening our collaboration to establish a solid framework for academic, knowledge and professional excellence. The Global Doctoral Consortium (GDC) is an innovative step towards promoting the prevalence of Open, Flexible, and Distance Learning (OFDL) field in research for doctoral scholars. HBMSU has always been committed to ensure efforts in bolstering transformation to a smart learning system based on technology and innovation.”
The ICDE GDC offers:
Access to a virtual community platform and valuable network
Relevant expertise and advice from faculty and experts in the field to support their studies
A programme of virtual activities relevant to PhD candidates
Insights into the latest research and emerging topics within OFDL
Pathways between scholars across institutions and borders including the sharing of resources and event opportunities
Are you interested in joining the GDC?
Participants: The consortium is open to PhD/EbD students and candidates and post-graduate students who are pursuing research in the field of OFDL, who are current members of ICDE. Apply for ICDE student membership or email us at icde@icde.org to join the GDC.
Unsure if you’re eligible for the GDC? Contact us at icde@icde.org, and we will gladly advise you.
All ICDE Institutional members who would like to register their students are welcome to contact us.
Partners: We invite ICDE members to join as GDC partners and share their expertise with the GDC participants. Contact us at icde@icde.org for more information and to sign up.
Were you unable to attend the GDC launch event? You can watch the event recording below.
Meet the ICDE GDC Partners
