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ICDE and Francophone partners at eLearning Africa in Dakar

On 24 May, ICDE Secretary General, Torunn Gjelsvik, has been in Dakar, Senegal for the eLearning Africa conference, participating in two workshops hosted by our main partner for the ICDE Francophone OER Project, Université Numérique (French Digital University).

ICDE Secretary General, Torunn Gjelsvik, at eLearning Africa conference.

The workshops focused on two key topics: “International Cooperation for the production of OER” and “Challenges of Multilingualism for OER in Education and Training”.

With the invaluable support of UNESCO, ICDE collaborates closely with Université Numérique and the virtual university of Senegal – Université Numérique Cheikh Hamidou Kane – to develop and adapt OER capacity building resources tailored to the unique needs of the francophone context. This extensive effort involves comprehensive adaptation and contextualization of OER, encompassing linguistic, cultural, and legal aspects.

From left to right: Massata Ndeye from Université Numérique Cheikh Hamidou Kane (Senegal), Carole Schorle-Stefan, Université Numérique, France, Torunn Gjelsvik, ICDE Secretary General and Jacques Dang from Université Numérique
 

Notably, this project plays a pivotal role in supporting the implementation of the UNESCO OER Recommendation in the West Africa and francophone region. Furthermore, it creates pathways for future replication in diverse linguistic and regional contexts, including Lusophone Africa. In a remarkable development, UFRN – the Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, one of ICDE’s esteemed Brazilian members, has forged a partnership with Université Numérique for OER projects aimed specifically at Portuguese-speaking African countries.

The workshops generated tremendous interest and enthusiasm during the eLearning Africa conference. It emphasized the significance of multilingualism, cross-country collaboration, and multi-sectorial cooperation within the OER framework as vital catalysts for fostering innovation and ensuring cost-efficiency in education and training.

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