IslaHF OEG Staff
Thanks for this @cogdog - Each candidate has expressed their vision and ideas for the future of OEGlobal as well as what expertise they hope to bring to their role. Read the election 2024 page – it is well worth a read!
Thanks for this @cogdog - Each candidate has expressed their vision and ideas for the future of OEGlobal as well as what expertise they hope to bring to their role. Read the election 2024 page – it is well worth a read!
I’ll start with a question!
A lot goes on behind the scenes that many people may not realize. Whether you’re an outsider looking in or already a part of the Board, how do you see yourself contributing to OEGlobal? Beyond helping to achieve the strategic plan, what practical steps can you take to support the organization’s operations? This could include efforts like maintaining and promoting membership, ensuring the organization’s technological needs are met, and actively seeking funding opportunities to help OEGlobal grow to support a small staff juggling many tasks/projects.
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Hi Heather! I’d like to initiate discussions on how we can make OE Global more global. As a member of the 2023 conference program committee, I noticed that we had more work to do in supporting delegates facing financial challenges. In some cases, we could assist delegates with the conference registration fee but I would like to see a more robust support system in place. I would like seek out and solicit more funding to support a scholarship program that would enable more participants to attend the conference. This would start with an initial fund that could support with registration fees and then eventually expand to funding for flights and hotel. Our program committee noted that for some people, particularly in the global south, the costs of attending are prohibitive. I would like to change that!
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Thank you, Robert! I appreciate you adding to this discussion. I love the idea of a scholarship program. There are so many open practitioners out there that can’t attend the conference due to cost and I hope we can talk about doing more to assist!
Hello dear colleagues. Thanks for the question Heather. I really appreciate and understand first hand the dilemma of a lack of funding to attend conferences. It is expensive in terms of finances but also the time it takes to travel (not to mention the jet lag). The idea of discussions about and striving towards a more Global organisation is very necessary for us to realise the imperative of opportunities to access education for all.
I am hoping that I can do more advocacy work in South Africa, but also through UNESCO networks that extend across Africa and the global south in order to increase membership.
I am also very passionate about growing the next generation of open educators and finding ways for more students to attend OE Global conferences for inspiration and to be included in this vibrant community.
Of course!
I can mediate a meeting between community leaders and the ABED presidency. This could be in the second half of October. Together we are stronger!
Hi Heather!
I thrive on leveraging resources, whether by people or resources, when a project, idea, or strategic plan needs completion.
Practical steps include surveying member institutions or individuals about gaps and strengths of OEG. These surveys will be in person, online, different time zones, multiple languages, sign language etc.
A SWOT (strength, weakness, opportunities, and threats) analysis will also be threaded into a narrative to our members and beyond.
I just finished completing my role as a Digital Experiences chair for the Open Tejas Conference and I will be more active in OEG Connect. I believe in OEG Connect and the future of open in a global community.
See you next week @hblicher!