Global e-Forum Roundtable Conference

'Overview Of Global Trends In Financing & Transnational e-Education'
IFC presented information on important issues and trends that are changing the landscape of tertiary education, transnational higher education and training services across the globe, with a particular focus on the impact of these changes on tertiary education and training sub-sectors in developing countries. Recent changes brought about by internationalization and the globalization of higher education have given rise to new commercial opportunities and increased competition from national and foreign providers in both local and foreign markets. The forum heard IFC’s perspective on education financing trends and how they are changing the global resourcing mix for higher education, knowledge development and lifelong learning - and highlighted the important role that e-learning will play in improving access and opportunity for students wanting to undertake higher education and lifelong learning studies across the developing world.

'Relevance Of On-Line Delivery By Foreign Providers - Adapting Delivery To Local Markets'
The second part of IFC’s presentation raised questions for e-Forum members about the readiness of developing countries to accommodate foreign provision of transnational on-line programs, especially in the space occupied by the formal tertiary sector. The presentation demonstrated how many developing countries are transitioning from formal education systems to new systems of education and training, where knowledge development, the creation of new skills and the development of lifelong learning systems are still some years behind the more industrialized countries. But notwithstanding this, it is important that developed countries where most transnational education originates from, should not underestimate the under-utilized capacity of traditional sectors and local markets, who have a potential capacity to advance and disseminate new knowledge that has been customized to meet their needs. Participants delivering e-programs in to foreign markets were seriously challenged about how they assure quality and relevance of their courses in terms of content and delivery - and how they need to overcome any local suspicions or perceptions of well packaged transnational programs being insensitive and based around less relevant social and cultural assumptions.
(Finis)