COL

How can education keep pace with the changing opportunities and challenges facing young people across the Commonwealth? The August 2026 issue of Connections takes up this question, exploring youth innovation and co-creative solutions in the context of rapid technological change, mounting climate pressures, and an evolving global landscape. Through partner contributions, expert voices, strategic insights, and evidence-based knowledge resources, the issue highlights why innovation must be paired with equity to reach learners who are still being left behind. Read the full issue to discover the perspectives and practical ideas shaping the future of learning: col.org/news/now-live-the-au… #OpenLearning #Youth #Education #FutureOfLearning #SkillsDevelopment #ClimateResilience #Commonwealth #Connections

Climate action, gender equality and the needs of small states are cross-cutting priorities, not separate challenges. Ahead of #CHOGM2026, COL calls on Commonwealth leaders to consider actions towards building climate-resilient learning systems, empowering women and girls through education and livelihood training, and harnessing the agility and strengths of small states to develop and scale innovative solutions. Explore our asks: doi.org/10.56059/11599/6156 #COL4D #ClimateAction #GenderEquality #SmallStates @commonwealthsec

Advancing gender equality in STEM means creating more inclusive learning environments and expanding opportunities for women to progress and lead. Through our Women in STEM (WiSE) Community of Practice webinar series, COL brings educators, researchers and other STEM stakeholders together to examine persistent barriers, share experiences and perspectives, and identify practical ways to drive meaningful change. The next session, Gender and STEM in higher education: Opportunities for change, on 5 November will feature Dr Mildred Airo of Maseno University, Kenya, and Professor Ram Ramaswamy of IIT Delhi, India. Drawing on their experiences at different career stages, they will discuss gender bias, inclusive teaching practices and opportunities for systemic change in STEM education. Learn more and register: col.org/news/wise-webinar-ge… #WomenInSTEM #GenderEquality #STEMEducation #HigherEducation

At #CHOGM2026, COL calls for affordable, accessible AI, national control over sensitive data, and technologies that reflect local cultures and protect learners. To make this vision a reality, teachers and young people must have a voice in shaping how technologies are developed and used, ensuring they support innovation while protecting learners' safety and agency. Explore our recommendations: doi.org/10.56059/11599/6156 #COL4D #FrugalAI #DigitalTransformation #AIinEducation #DigitalInclusion @commonwealthsec

Caribbean youth are preparing to voice their innovative solutions to Commonwealth leaders at #CHOGM2026. At the Youth Forum, participants in COL's Pan-Caribbean Youth Robotics Project will showcase how robotics, research and advocacy can help address regional challenges and support sustainable blue-green economies. Learn more about the project and access emerging resources: col.org/youthrobotics #COL4D #YouthInnovation #Robotics #BlueEconomy #GreenEconomy

As industries emerge, economies evolve and climate challenges grow, #CHOGM2026 is an opportunity to invest in skills for the future. From agriculture and oceans to creativity and culture, COL calls for turning the Commonwealth's rich resources, into opportunities for skills development, innovation and sustainable livelihoods. Explore our recommendations: doi.org/10.56059/11599/6156 #COL4D #FutureSkills @commonwealthsec

Changing learning systems must be part of the conversation at #CHOGM2026. Under a broader call to change learning systems, COL advocates for flexible, inclusive learning that builds future-ready skills, empowers teachers for the digital age, strengthens connections between education and employment, and expands lifelong learning opportunities. Discover our recommendations for action: doi.org/10.56059/11599/6156 #COL4D #FutureSkills

COL is pleased to support the launch of the Africa Regional Centre for Open TVET (ARCOT). Hosted by @kstvet, the Centre will strengthen regional collaboration and promote the use of open and technology-enabled learning to expand opportunities for skills development, employment and lifelong learning across Africa. #ARCOT #TVET #SkillsDevelopment #OpenLearning #Africa

With #CHOGM2026 just days away, we've put together 15 strategic talking points and 12 opportunities for action to help turn shared ambitions into practical action. Our challenge to delegates: Explore the talking points, ask the difficult questions and come ready to act. 🔗doi.org/10.56059/11599/6156 #COL4D #FutureSkills #Commonwealth @commonwealthsec

On St Vincent and the Grenadines' Independence Day, we celebrate the country's continued drive to modernise education, strengthen skills and prepare learners for a changing world of work. Through investments in technical and vocational education and training, expanded post-secondary learning opportunities and digital transformation, St Vincent and the Grenadines is working to make education more accessible, relevant and responsive to national development priorities. Efforts to strengthen workforce skills, improve digital access and connect education with employment are helping to create new pathways for lifelong learning. COL is contributing to these priorities through collaboration in higher education, teacher professional development, digital learning and skills development. This includes supporting online and blended learning, strengthening mathematics teaching, and advancing digital and AI literacy, micro-credentials and flexible pathways to employment and entrepreneurship. As St Vincent and the Grenadines celebrates its independence, we recognise the progress being made towards learning that is more accessible, adaptable and connected to the aspirations of its people. #SVGIndependence #CaribbeanEducation #DigitalLearning #TVET

Ahead of #CHOGM2026, young Caribbean innovators are drawing attention to some of the region’s most pressing challenges. Today, at 7:00 p.m. AST, two teams participating in COL’s Pan-Caribbean Youth Robotics Innovation Project for Blue-Green Resilience and Prosperity will share their research and ideas on coastal resilience and food security. Don't miss out! Register now to join both youth-led webinars: commonwealthoflearning.info/… #YouthInnovation #BlueGreenEconomy #CHOGM2026 #YouthRobotics

As Zambia celebrates its independence, we recognise the country’s efforts to build a more inclusive education and skills system that responds to changing learner and workforce needs. Through its Eighth National Development Plan 2022–2026 and ongoing employment and TVET reforms, Zambia is strengthening connections between education, skills and work, with greater emphasis on practical training, employability, digital skills and opportunities for young people. Expanding flexible learning, strengthening technology-enabled and gender-responsive approaches, and building pathways that recognise prior learning are also central to COL’s efforts in Zambia across open schooling, teacher development, higher education and TVET. Recent work is also widening access to secondary education through a decentralised open schooling model, while blended TVET delivery and stronger quality assurance are helping institutions respond to changing learner and workforce needs. We wish the people of Zambia a happy Independence Day and continued progress in building a more inclusive and future-ready learning system. #ZambiaIndependenceDay #Education #TVET #FlexibleLearning @Medu_Zambia @MoTS_Zambia @heazambia @ZambiaTeaching

Earlier this week, the Honourable Haruna Iddrisu, Minister of Education, Ghana, received Professor Jane-Frances Agbu, Adviser: Higher Education at the Commonwealth of Learning (COL), and a Ghanaian delegation comprising Professor Samuel A. Atintono, Principal of Accra College of Education and COL Focal Point for Ghana; Dr Joshua Mallet, former Director of CENDLOS and former COL staff member; and Mr John Dadzie-Mensah, Director of Policy, Planning and Research at the Ghana Tertiary Education Commission (GTEC). The meeting, also attended by the Honourable Dr Clement Apaak, Deputy Minister of Education, and other senior officials, provided an overview of COL's work in higher education, teacher education, technical and vocational education and training, and open schooling. A significant outcome was the formal presentation of the Business Model Report for the proposed Ghana Open University. The Minister welcomed the initiative, reaffirmed the government's commitment to expanding higher education opportunities for underserved populations, and constituted a seven-member committee to review the business model and advance plans for establishing the university. Alongside these discussions, COL is facilitating a workshop in collaboration with GTEC to strengthen the capacity of assessors, accreditation officers and tertiary education stakeholders to support quality assurance in open and distance learning (ODL). Together, these developments mark progress towards strengthening Ghana's higher education system and expanding opportunities for lifelong learning. #OpenDistanceLearning #HigherEducation #Ghana #QualityEducation @officialmoegov @__gtec @AcCE_62

Nigeria is advancing national guidelines to help universities offer flexible, skills-focused learning through micro-credentials. At a recent meeting organised by the National Universities Commission (NUC) in collaboration with COL, Professor Abdullahi Yusufu Ribadu, Executive Secretary, NUC, emphasised the role of micro-credentials in expanding access to education, supporting skills development and strengthening links between higher education and the world of work. Building on the National Micro-Credentials Framework developed with COL’s earlier support, the guidelines, once approved, will provide universities with clear standards for designing, delivering and recognising micro-credentials that meet quality requirements, respond to industry needs and support lifelong learning. Learn more: nuc.edu.ng/es-tasks-committe… #HigherEducation #QualityAssurance #MicroCredentials #WestAfrica @OfficialNUC

As water scarcity becomes a growing challenge, how can conservation, innovation and technology help protect water resources and build a more resilient future for Caribbean communities? Tune in tomorrow, 20 October at 7 p.m. ECT, for “Water Conservation,” the fourth youth-led webinar in COL’s Pan-Caribbean Youth Robotics Innovation Project for Blue-Green Resilience and Prosperity. André Mason, a member of the project’s selected youth cohort, will present alongside fellow team members to explore how policies and emerging technologies can support more sustainable water management across the Caribbean. Register now: commonwealthoflearning.info/… #YouthInnovation #RoboticsForGood #CaribbeanYouth #BlueGreenResilience

Join UNESCO's OER Dynamic Coalition webinar tomorrow to examine the role of open licensing in the age of AI. Anne-Marie Scott, Vice President at COL, will present alongside other experts in research, education, copyright and open knowledge to explore emerging challenges and opportunities for the future of the knowledge commons. Learn more and register: ow.ly/b6vn50ZZ8i1 #EducationLeadership #OpenEducation #ArtificialIntelligence #OpenKnowledge @UNESCO

“The true measure of open education is not simply how many learners we reach, but how many we enable to participate meaningfully, learn with dignity, realise their potential, and succeed.” Professor Jane-Frances Agbu, Adviser: Higher Education at COL, shared this message at a two-day regional workshop on assistive technologies for differently-abled learners in open and distance learning Institutions in West Africa. Held at the National Open University of Nigeria in Abuja with support from RETRDIOL, COL's regional centre in West Africa, the session brought together stakeholders from across the region to explore how assistive technologies, accessible learning environments and stronger institutional support can remove barriers and help learners with disabilities succeed. Learn more: nounnews.nou.edu.ng/index.ph… Photo credit: NOUN News #InclusiveEducation #OpenLearning #AssistiveTechnology @NounAssist @RetridolNOUN

What if proving your qualifications was the easiest part of getting your next job? Digital public infrastructure offers a way to verify qualifications quickly, securely and reliably, helping learners access new education and employment opportunities. To explore its potential, senior officials from Barbados, Namibia, and St Kitts and Nevis recently visited Trinidad and Tobago to learn about VerifyTT, a digital credentials initiative built on open-source technology. The study visit was convened by COL and hosted by the Government of Trinidad and Tobago. Learn more: col.org/news/techtrends-deve… #DigitalPublicInfrastructure #MicroCredentials #DigitalTransformation #SkillsRecognition @MoEduTT @ttgovcomms @iGovTT

As millions of young people prepare to enter a rapidly changing world of work, developing countries could face an employment gap of roughly 800 million jobs over the next 10 to 15 years. With accelerating technological advancement and shifting economic demands, meeting this challenge means developing skills not only for today’s jobs, but also for emerging opportunities. Drawing on the recent WorldSkills events in Shanghai, Gopesh Tewari, Adviser: Skills at COL, explores how AI and green skills can open new pathways to employment, entrepreneurship and sustainable livelihoods. In our latest blog, he highlights how COL is helping young people and communities across its member countries gain future-ready skills, including those needed for climate-smart agriculture and the green and blue bioeconomies. Read more: col.org/news/from-ai-to-agri… #FutureSkills #GreenSkills #TVET #SkillsDevelopment

Zambia is taking important steps towards more open and inclusive teacher education. At a recent workshop on Openness in Teacher Education, hosted by the University of Zambia as part of COL’s Network for Open Teacher Education in Sub-Saharan Africa (NOTES), 38 teacher educators explored how to create Open Educational Resources and use AI responsibly. Through practical sessions and peer learning, participants explored best practices in quality assurance, accessible design and open licensing. With Wits School of Education leading the Southern Africa Node and the Africa Deans of Education Forum supporting institutional mobilisation, NOTES is building a Network of Practice that connects educators to share expertise, co-create resources and strengthen institutional capacity for inclusive teacher education. #TeacherEducation #OER #NOTES @WitsUniversity @UnzaOfficial

Join us today at 7 p.m. ECT for “Bionics for the Islands,” the next webinar in COL’s Pan-Caribbean Youth Robotics Innovation Project for Blue-Green Resilience and Prosperity. Led by youth presenters, the discussion will explore how advances in robotics, engineering and prosthetic technology can improve accessibility and inclusion across the Caribbean. The session will also examine why advanced prosthetics can be expensive, how they are engineered, and how innovation and technology could help make them more affordable and widely available. Register now: commonwealthoflearning.info/… #CaribbeanYouth #YouthInnovation #Robotics #Accessibility #InclusiveInnovation