Lifelong Contribution to the Field: Mark Brown and Morten Flate Paulsen

The ICDE Prize for Lifelong Contribution to the field awards significant achievements and contributions both to the OFDL field and to the wider international community. This year the ICDE Prizes of Excellence Jury decided to award two individuals this special prize.

Mark Brown

Professor Mark Brown has built a distinguished career spanning four decades that has significantly shaped the field of Open, Flexible, and Distance Learning (OFDL) worldwide. His professional journey exemplifies both leadership and continuous innovation.

As a highly influential figure in OFDL, Professor Brown has made notable institutional contributions, serving as the inaugural Chair of Digital Learning in Ireland and playing a pivotal role in online education as Director of the National Observatory for Digital Education (NODE) at Dublin City University. Professor Brown’s expertise has been essential in developing a continental framework for micro-credentials in Europe. His involvement in the Open University UK’s FutureLearn collaboration was instrumental in advancing the concept and implementation of micro-credentials.

While in New Zealand, Professor Brown oversaw 35,000 online students and launched a global MOOC, effecting substantial change in the digital learning landscape. His colleagues acknowledge his significant contributions, attributing much of the advancement in New Zealand’s OFDL community to his initiatives, including the establishment of leadership institutes aimed at preparing the next generation of professionals.

Professor Brown’s unwavering commitment to excellence and policy advocacy is evident through his service in various editorial and board positions at leading academic journals, and in his roles in ICDE and EDEN. His practical work spans projects implemented across New Zealand, Australia, USA, Europe, and Asia.

Professor Brown’s enduring impact is found not only in technological and policy advancements but also in strengthening an informed, global community dedicated to lifelong, accessible, and flexible learning.

Morten Flate Paulsen

Professor Morten Flate Paulsen is a true pioneer whose four-decade career has shaped the infrastructure and pedagogy of distance education. His contribution is not only extensive, but fundamental to the history of open, flexible, and distance learning.

In Norway, Professor Paulsen distinguished himself as an innovator by designing the EKKO LMS system and leading early efforts to transition classes to digital platforms. His commitment to accessible knowledge was evident through the establishment of DEOS (Distance Education Online Symposium), one of the earliest electronic journals, which advanced standards for open scholarly exchange. He subsequently founded the Nordic Open Online Academy, broadening opportunities for flexible education.

Professor Paulsen’s service to the international OFDL community is noteworthy. His roles within ICDE have included Acting Secretary General, Board Member, and symposia collaborator. He has also contributed regionally, serving on essential boards in Norway and holding the position of President of EDEN.

A distinguishing aspect of his academic legacy is his meticulous documentation of the field’s history. Through recent open-access publications such as ‘My Online Education World 1980-2020’ and ‘Stars in my Online World,’ he has created valuable resources that chronicle the evolution of digital education. Professor Paulsen’s enduring impact lies in his advancement of systems, scholarship, and educational communities.