Virtual University for the Small States of the Commonwealth (VUSSC)

Address:

c/o 4710 Kingsway Suite 2500 Burnaby
BC V6E 2E9 Canada

Telephone: (1) 604 775 8200 Email: info@col.org

Website: www.col.org/vussc www.vussc.info

Year established: 2003 Number of staff: 1

Number of subscribing members: 32 countries

Annual expenditure: £350,000

Officers (2015):

VUSSC Management Committee made up of partner representatives

VUSSC Education Specialist: John Lesperance

Aims and objectives:

VUSSC is a network of small countries that work together to develop free content for post-secondary, skills-related courses in subjects such as tourism, entrepreneurship, disaster management, life skills, use of information and communications technology, and small fisheries management. This course content is non-proprietary and is readily adaptable for use within the specific context of other countries.

Main activities:

• Supporting institutional collaboration to increase access to learning opportunities using OER, technology and appropriate ODL methodologies

• Working with local and regional authorities to implement the TQF and promote a credit transfer system to increase learner mobility within a country and across regions

• Collaboration and capacity building • Course development and delivery

Recent publications:

Referencing of the Transnational Qualifications Framework for the Virtual University for Small States of the Commonwealth (March 2015)