Call for Papers

Higher Education institutions have been criticized for living in the past; some have even proclaimed that the University has lost its relevance. In the midst of these analyses and criticisms, the advent of Information and Communication Technologies in today's universities/colleges is seen as a promising development. What future has Higher Education when the virtual world of on-line education has so much more to offer? The aim of this conference will be to examine Virtuality within Higher Education in an attempt to critique both its essential characteristics and its future possibilities to influence the education of adult learners.

Being such a broad topic, Virtuality defies a definitive list of sub-topics but the following list is indicative of the envisaged topics covered within this Call for Papers:

• Emerging technologies within Higher Education
• International technology challenges
• Organizational issues/strategies in Virtual education
• Financial issues (faculty pay/timetabling/benefits)
• Part-time staff/ adjuncts' role between traditional and virtual universities
• Contemporary best teaching practices
• International educational experiences/lessons
• Case studies of experimental projects
• Blended Learning approaches
• Professional development/support structures

All papers presented at the inaugural conference are in the process of being published in a themed volume. All papers accepted for and presented at this conference will be published in an ISBN eBook. Selected papers will be developed and published in a themed hard copy book.

The organisers intend the conference to have the atmosphere of a working group who engage in a focused and rigorous manner with the issues raised in the papers selected for presentation. Consequently it is envisaged that numbers attending the conference will be capped. In particular, we warmly invite projects-in-process who would like the benefit of presenting and receiving feedback from the inter-disciplinary perspectives of those present.

Important Dates: 300 word abstract - Friday 6th June 2003 Full Draft Papers - Friday 15th August 2003 Conference - 12th - 13th September 2003 eBook (ISBN) published - 1st November 2003 Themed hard copy published - 1st June 2004

300 word abstracts should be submitted to both the Organising Joint Chairs.

The conference is sponsored by BRG and Learning Solutions. For further details and information please visit the conference web site or contact the Organising Joint Chairs.