GATE & European Distance Education Network Join Forces On Quality Assurance in Transnational Education

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — Global Alliance for Transnational Education(R), Ltd. (GATE(R)), an organization devoted to defining quality education around the globe, today announced a Memorandum of Understanding with the European Distance Education Network (EDEN) to work jointly to advance online learning and other forms of transnational education.

Transnational education is any learning activity in which the student is in a different country than the institution that is providing the instruction. National boundaries are crossed to teach either in a classroom setting or online.

GATE is dedicated to promoting quality assurance in the delivery of all learning activities and conducts voluntary certification of institutions that offer transnational education programs. EDEN is a nonprofit educational association that coordinates the efforts of over 220 institutions, 30 networks and 450 individual members in 37 countries to support developments in distance education throughout Europe. EDEN has been instrumental in fostering East-West collaboration and developing European policy through the Open and Distance Learning Liaison Committee, launched by EDEN, which makes recommendations to the European Commission and its Members States.

Under terms of the Memorandum of Understanding, GATE and EDEN will:

• exchange information and knowledge;

• develop opportunities of joint action in order to gain mutual benefit; and

• improve activities related to quality assurance in transnational education.

GATE and EDEN will use one another’s information channels – newsletters, websites and other media. The organizations will collaborate to develop EDEN’s Quality Network, or “Q-Net,” which seeks to improve the competencies, resources and certification process in Europe’s open and distance learning community.

Each organization will invite representatives of the other to conferences and other events. On 17 April 2001, Dr. Erwin Wagner, President of EDEN, will join leaders from corporations, educational institutions and governments worldwide at GATE’s International Leadership Symposium in Washington, D.C., to tackle the important issue of quality assurance in transnational education. And GATE representatives will play a role in EDEN’s 10th Anniversary Conference, “Learning Without Limits,” in Sweden, 10-13 June 2001.

About GATE(R)

Established in 1995, Global Alliance for Transnational Education(R), Ltd. (GATE) is the leading global accrediting body for transnational learning providers. Headquartered in Englewood, Colorado, GATE has devised a standard of best practices – The Principles for Transnational Education – which are used to evaluate institutions offering transnational education programs. GATE also serves as a leading forum for representatives of the educational, governmental, intergovernmental, quality assurance and business communities. GATE is a subsidiary of Jones International™, Ltd.

About EDEN

A nongovernmental educational association, EDEN was established in May 1991 following the first pan-European conference on distance education in Budapest in 1990. Its aim is to foster developments in distance education by providing a platform for cooperation and collaboration between a wide range of institutions, networks and individuals concerned with distance education in Europe. EDEN is the only European organization where membership is open to anyone — both institutions and individuals, such as academics and professionals — with an interest in open and distance learning. Member institutions include traditional and open universities, schools, national open and distance learning associations, and European networks from 37 countries in Europe, Malaysia, North America and South Africa. EDEN is registered under English law with its registered office in Milton Keynes, UK. The Budapest University of Technology and Economics has hosted the Secretariat of EDEN since May 1997.

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