Programme Chair:- Prof. P.R. Ramanujam, Director, Academic Programmes Committee, PCF6
Professor P.R.Ramanujam is Pro Vice-Chancellor at Indira Gandhi National Open University and Previously Professor of Distance Education and Director at the Staff Training and Research Institute of Distance Education (STRIDE) at the Indira Gandhi National Open University, New Delhi. He was appointed as Director, STRIDE for the period August 2000-August 2005 and again for a second term in 2008.
He has contributed substantially since 1986 to the development, implementation and revision of the Staff Development Programmes of IGNOU: Diploma in Distance Education (DDE) which was later upgraded to Post-graduate Diploma in Distance Education (PGDDE), and Master of Arts in Distance Education (MADE) that have created human resources for ODL in about 45 countries through the IGNOU-COL-Rajiv Gandhi Fellowship Scheme (1996-2004), IGNOU-IICBA (UNESCO) scheme (2000-2004) and other initiatives. He has published 4 books (single authored), edited 2 books and written about 100 papers. His specializations are: Open Learning, Disability Studies and English Literature. He is Chief Editor of Indian Journal of Open Learning, one of the five refereed international journals in the field.
Quest for Reconciliation: Marxist Encounters with Modernism; Marxism, Ideology & Literary criticism; Reflections on Distance Education for India; Distance Open Learning - Challenges to Developing Countries; Globalisation, Education & Open Distance Learning are some of his titles extensively cited by scholars around the world. He has co-edited Higher Education in India: Crisis in Management with former IGNOU Vice Chancellor, Dr. Kulandaiswamy.
Professor Ramanujam has played a key role in the setting up of the sophisticated Multimedia Lab of the Inter-University Consortium and the Indira Gandhi Centre for Freedom Struggle Studies at IGNOU. As a Master Trainer, he has conducted about 500 workshops and acted as consultant to a number of national and international organisations. His contribution to the BA in Applied Sign Language Studies following a UKIERI Research award in 2008, and his contribution to the Civil Paths to Peace initiative of the COL are some of his recent achievements.
Commonwealth of Learning at the ceremony to launch preparations for the 6th Pan-Commonwealth Forum on Open Learning, Chennai, India on 10th October, 2009
Professor P.R.Ramanujam is Pro Vice-Chancellor at Indira Gandhi National Open University and Previously Professor of Distance Education and Director at the Staff Training and Research Institute of Distance Education (STRIDE) at the Indira Gandhi National Open University, New Delhi. He was appointed as Director, STRIDE for the period August 2000-August 2005 and again for a second term in 2008.
