Access to Learning for Development

The Fifth Pan-Commonwealth Forum on Open Learning

13-17 July 2008 at the University of London

The Pan-Commonwealth Forum on Open Learning has grown to become one of the world’s leading conferences on learning and global development. PCF5 in London will explore how open and distance learning can help achieve international development goals and education for all. The conference theme is "Access to Learning for Development" with a focus on children and young people, health, livelihoods, social justice and governance.

The Commonwealth of Learning's Pan-Commonwealth Forum on Open Learning has grown to become the leading international conference on learning and development. It is held biennially in collaboration with the Federation of Commonwealth Open and Distance Learning Associations. It is co-hosted with partners in different regions of the Commonwealth, and PCF5 brings the Forum to Europe for the first time.

The Forum seeks to address open and distance learning through widening educational access, bridging the digital divide and by advancing the social and economic development of communities and nations at large. The Forum's focus is on topics relating to, and participation by, societies in developing countries. COL 's Excellence in Distance Education Awards are also presented at the Forum.

The First Pan-Commonwealth Forum was held in March 1999 in Brunei Darussalam. The Second Forum followed in 2002 in Durban, South Africa. The Third Pan-Commonwealth Forum was held 4-8 July 2004 in Dunedin, New Zealand, and the Fourth Forum, PCF4 was held in Ocho Rios, Jamaica from 30 October - 3 November 2006 .