Individual Prize: Josep Duart and Olufemi Peters

The ICDE Prize of Excellence Individual Prize honours exceptional leadership and impact in open and distance education at national, regional, or global levels over the past five years. This year, the ICDE Prizes of Excellence Jury chose to award two individuals with this distinguished recognition.

Josep Duart

Professor Josep Maria Duart has made significant contributions to the advancement of open, distance, and digital learning through his leadership at EDEN Distance Learning Europe, the foremost network in the region focused on digital education innovation.

During his presidency of EDEN DLE (2021–2025), Professor Duart oversaw substantial organizational evolution, strengthening international partnerships with bodies such as ICDE, UNESCO, EUA, the COIMBRA Group, and other key entities. His tenure has reinforced EDEN DLE’s global influence, while he has also provided sustained support for PhD Symposiums and early career researchers.

Since 2004, Professor Duart has served as Editor-in-Chief of the International Journal of Educational Technology in Higher Education (IJETHE), an open access journal widely regarded as a leading publication in its field. His dedication has attracted the backing of world-class universities, establishing IJETHE as a vital platform for promoting open knowledge.

With nearly three decades of expertise in digital learning, Professor Duart’s longstanding role at UOC (Universitat Oberta de Catalunya) is particularly noteworthy. He has demonstrated exemplary leadership, serving as Vice President for Postgraduate Studies and Lifelong Learning, as well as Director of International Relations and Research Strategy.

In recent years, Professor Duart’s impact on digital education has been evident through transnational collaborative initiatives with major higher education institutions in Latin America, especially in Colombia and Chile, where he has led significant research and capacity-building projects.

Olufemi Peters

Professor Olufemi Peters, Vice-Chancellor of the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN), has played a pivotal role in advancing Open, Flexible, and Distance Learning throughout his career. His leadership is evident through a range of strategic innovations. Under his direction, NOUN’s mobile learning platform now serves more than 350,000 students, significantly enhancing educational accessibility. He has also overseen the implementation of advanced technologies, including the introduction of blockchain-based micro-credentials for certification.

Professor Peters has reinforced NOUN’s quality assurance and accreditation processes while promoting internal development and research excellence. His commitment to academic advancement is reflected in his support for scholarly initiatives and the establishment of the African Centre for Excellence in Technology Enhanced Learning, which drives innovation across the continent.

In addition to his work at NOUN, Professor Peters contributes to the wider field as the inaugural Vice-President of the African Council for Distance Education and as chair of a regional training board. A central element of his legacy is his dedication to equity; he has expanded geographic access to education through the creation of rural centres and broadening mobile learning opportunities. Furthermore, he actively promotes diversity, particularly by supporting increased female representation in leadership positions.

In summary, Professor Peters’ leadership is characterised by a commitment to both technological progress and equitable human development.