The International Council for Open and Distance Education (ICDE), together with the UNESCO Institute for Lifelong Learning (UIL) and StudyPortals (SP) have joined efforts to study the “Impact of Distance Education on Adult Learning” (IDEAL).

Funded by the European Commission, the IDEAL project aims to investigate the distance learning potential of European higher education by analysing the current offer of distance learning (including blended forms of learning) and who it is designed for. For this purpose the IDEAL project conducts a research study among higher education institutions in Europe.

With the kind support of the International Association of Universities (IAU) and thanks to its World Higher Education Database (WHED) as well as through the joint networks of ICDE, Studyportals and UIL, some 4000 institutions in Europe have been selected as part of the target group to be invited to take part in the IDEAL survey. The survey has been sent to the heads of institutions at the beginning of May and will remain open until 26 May.

In case your university would like to participate in this study and has not been contacted yet, please get in touch with Chripa Schneller at [email protected].

The results of the survey will be available in an online report in September 2014. It will be complemented by research on the demand for distance and blended forms of education (including a survey among students) and country case studies on the potential of these new forms of learning. The final report will be available by the end of the year 2014.

More information on the IDEAL project see the attached files or visit www.idealproject.eu.  

Best regards

Sofia

Sofia Nyström, PhD
Senior lecturer
Secretary of the European Society for Research on the Education of Adults (ESREA) - www.esrea.org