College of Education

Strong showing from Unisa at the PCF11 Conference

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Dr Mimmy Gondwe, Deputy Minister of Higher Education and Training (centre), with the Unisa delegation at the conference. She is flanked by Prof Lumkile Lalendle (to her right) and Prof Mpine Makoe (to her left).

The Commonwealth of Learning (COL), in partnership with the Botswana Ministry of Higher Education and its implementing agency, Botswana Open University, hosted the Eleventh Pan-Commonwealth Forum on Open Learning (PCF11) from 10 to 12 September 2025 at the Gaborone International Convention Centre in Botswana, under the theme "Innovative Open Education: Fostering Resilient Societies for Sustainable Economic Development". Unisa was represented by the Department of Quality Assurance and Enhancement (DQAE) and the College of Education (CEDU).

The conference was officially opened by the President of Botswana, Advocate Duma Gideon Boko. In his remarks, President Boko stressed the importance of creativity and innovation in building a knowledge-based economy. He emphasised that resilience and sustainability in today’s world depend on the ability of nations to generate new knowledge, nurture innovation and embrace creativity.

The President further expressed Botswana’s pride in hosting PCF11, noting that the country joins South Africa and Nigeria as one of only three African nations to host this globally recognised forum. He remarked that the event marks a pivotal moment in Botswana’s higher education and development journey.

Reaffirming Botswana’s national values, President Boko highlighted that the country stands as a democratic, peaceful, safe and credible nation within the Commonwealth and beyond. He called on open universities and learning institutions to innovate and find new ways of empowering the creative industry through knowledge, diversity and creativity, which are key drivers of economic growth and social development.

This Forum occurs triennially and is regarded as one of the foremost global conferences on open and distance learning (ODL). The Forum aims to facilitate an open, online and flexible learning community in convening, exchanging knowledge and experiences, identifying significant trends, and examining the applications of open and distance learning to enhance access, bridge the digital divide, and promote the social and economic development of communities and nations. The event holds considerable importance for practitioners and scholars from developing nations.

The Unisa delegation, led by Prof Mpine Makoe, Executive Dean of CEDU, and Prof Lumkile Lalendle, Executive Director of DQAE, made substantial contributions to the conference's success as rapporteurs, presenters on diverse topics during breakout sessions, and as delegates.

Dr Mimmy Gondwe, the Deputy Minister of Higher Education and Training representing the South African government, stated, "The Pan-Commonwealth Forum offers strategic value for DHET and our stakeholders by uniting the open and online learning community to exchange knowledge and experiences, identify key trends, and explore how open and distance learning can improve access and mitigate the digital divide."

Gondwe's visit to Botswana coincides with South Africa's G20 Presidency, during which Botswana is among the chosen African nations invited to engage in the G20 Education Working Group and the Education Ministerial Meeting set for 20 to 22 October 2025 in Skukuza, Mpumalanga. Gondwe further participated in a ministerial panel with government officials from Barbados, Mauritius and Sierra Leone, engaging in constructive discussions on employment, recognition of prior learning and micro-credentialing to enhance youth engagement.

Conference delegates and keynote speakers unanimously agreed that the event consistently delivers the enriching in-person experiences that attendees anticipate. The PCF11 closed with a vow to promote ongoing constructive dialogues for future partnerships among member states and delegations, as well as for the advancement of the Commonwealth States. 

* By Freddy Abilio Mlambo, Acting Communications and Marketing Specialist, College of Education, and Siyabonga Seme, Manager: Communication and Marketing, KwaZulu-Natal Region

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Publish date: 2025-10-08 00:00:00.0

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