Ladies and Gentlemen, dear colleagues, dear friends, as a co-owner of a private distance teaching institute I am very touched to be in a country which is embarking on the very difficult road to a market system. And I am very proud to be in a country in which distance learning has a great history.
As president of the only European Association which represents the private sector of distance teaching I am very happy to have the opportunity to present to you how effective and successful institutes can be which are competitors to the government.
First of all I would like to give you a short overview what is going on in the different western countries specially how important it is to have also private institutions providing distance education. After that I would like to present to you the success-story which happened in the united Germany and thirdly I will present you the AECS which you are perhaps planning to join.
- The Situation in Western Europe
Based on a survey amongst the members of the European Association of Correspondence Schools (AECS) in 1989 and an additional survey (including also non-members) in May 1991 which were combined by Kees Veen in a paper for the Commission of the European Communities (Survey on the private Distance Education Institutes in Europe, August 1991) and a survey by Annegret Haffa and Guido Kammerer for the German Minister of Education (Fernunterrich für Zielgruppen, Bonn 1987) a picture of private distance education can be given:
- Over 80% of the private Distance Education Institutes offer both courses for the open, consumer market and specific target-groups in industry, trade or public organisations.
- Over 10,000 students are registered by 30% of the institutes. The number of full-time staff of 20% of the institutes is 100 and more.
- 30% of the institutes offer more than 100 courses. Technical courses, business studies, management and language courses are the most important areas covered by the private institutes.
There is a large number of media in use in Distance Education Institutes. Number 1 is still the printed material. Also audio tapes are very much used. The Computer is becoming more and more important in Distance Education. It is used for software training, as an educational device and for telecommunication. It is also used to support the students-guidance and delivery systems.
The national, and in many cases the international, postal service is very important for a prompt delivery of course material.
The majority for private Distance Education Institutes finances their own course development.
- Recognition and Quality Control
In many European countries exists a system of quality control. For instance in The Netherlands, France, Germany and Norway there exists a law on Distance Education. There is a system of State control by educational inspectors in conjunction with the law.
In the United Kingdom exists a system of Accreditation. In Spain exists an organisation (based on law) in which most Distance Education Institutes are represented and which is officially recognised by the Ministry of Education.
As far as information is available, the main findings per country are as follows:
Austria
At the moment less than 10 institutes are members of the Östereichischer Fernschulverband, the Austrian association of Distance Education Institutes which developed a code of ethics because there is no law in Austria.
Austria is a difficult market. There is only one big school; industrial organisations and the chamber of commerce are also involved in Distance Education.
Belgium
Distance Education is not very much developed. Acting on the market in the Flemish part are mainly Dutch Institutes.
Denmark
The Private Distance Teaching Institutes are controlled by the government. The army and the Danish Railroad are also running Distance Teaching courses.
Finland
FADE in the Finnish Association for Distance Education. Distance Education has a long tradition but is not as important as in Norway or Sweden. The main schools are active also in the AECS.
France
Since 1971 the Private Distance Teaching Institutes in France are controlled by the government but without recognition of the certificates. Besides the private sector exists an important state run schools.
350,000 of the 550,000 students are enrolled at this state-owned organisation called CNED. Another 100,000 students are in the major public "companies" like Railway, Postal Services and Electricity. The remaining 150,000 students are enrolled at 150 private Distance Teaching Institutes. The biggest one has 50,000 students, the second 30,000, the third 10,000.
Germany
The Deutscher Fernschulverband (DFV) is the German Association of Distance Teaching Institutes which represents about 40 institutes with more than 80% of all students.
The German Distance Teaching Courses are controlled by a state body: Staatliche Zentralstelle für Fernunterricht which was installed by a law in 1977. This law regulates the right and obligations to both the private Distance Education Institutes and the students. Provisions are made in order to avoid long-term commitments, to give students the opportunity to become familiar with the courses and to make sure that the quality of the course and the course material is high.
Because of the restrictive German law in the last 15 years no new big institute is founded. At the moment about 150,000 students are enrolled of which 40,000 are from the so called "new" countries. 150 institutes including unions, churches, companies and so on offer 1,100 courses, but there are only 5 till 6 [sic] which have more than 5,000 students.
Greece
As far as I know there are not activities in Distance Education in Greece.
Iceland
I do not have detailed information. Members of the AECS is one institute with about 1,000 students owned by trade unions and other organisations.
Ireland
I do not have specific information.
Italy
AISCO is the Italian Association of Correspondence Schools. I do not have more information about the situation in Italy.
Norway
NADE is the Norwegian Association for Distance Education. The Distance Teaching institutes need an approval by the Ministry of Church and Education. Distance Teaching is part of the educational system and the certificates of private schools are accepted. Because of the support by the government up to 5% of the population were active as distance learning pupils or students. At the moment the Norwegian law is planned to be changed again to give stronger support to the Distance Teaching Institutes.
Portugal
I do not have detailed information.
Sweden
SADE is the Swedish Association for Distance Education. Like in Norway the Distance Education is part of the educational system. It is accepted and supported by the government. Besides institutes with a long tradition also the army is involved in Distance Education.
Spain
In Spain the Distance Education Institutes are organised in ANCED, the National Association of Correspondence Training Centres. It incorporates most Distance Education Institutes which are officially recognised by the Ministry of Education. At present 72 different Correspondence Training Centres are a member for ANCED. They offer a wide range of training programs to over 300,000 students throughout Spain.
Switzerland
The Swiss Association of Distance Teaching Institutes has 9 members and developed a code of ethics because there is no law in Switzerland. Some institutes are also active in Germany-mainly with partners. They offer about 200 courses.
The Netherlands
VISO is the Dutch Association of Distance Teaching Institutes. It has 17 members.
Distance Teaching Institutes can apply voluntarily for recognition under the Dutch law Private Educational Institutes. 250,000 students shall be enrolled. The biggest institute has 100,000, the second 50,000.
Turkey
Some institutes are active of which one is member of the AECS. I do not have no more information about Turkey.
United Kingdom
The Council for the Accreditation of Correspondence (C.A.C.C.) was set up in 1968 as a co-operative effort between the Department of Education and Science and some of the Distance Education Institutes. The Council was founded in 1969 as an independent body and is the only organisation in the United Kingdom officially recognised as responsible for awarding Accreditation to correspondence colleges.
The present number of accredited colleges is 36.
Besides those members exist a various number of Distance Teaching Institutes including unions, churches and so on which sell courses all over the English speaking world.
- The Importance of Private Distance Teaching Institutes
Even in the countries like France in which a strong state run institute is serving the market only the private sector can make sure that all the interests of potential students, their different wishes and ways to learn are satisfied. The government is normally following the wishes of the politicians or the needs they see. The interest of the government and the interest of thousands of individuals often do no coincide. Only private institutes which have to earn their money by satisfying the needs of the individuals have their ear really at the market. And they are normally more willing to try experiments if they see an interest, a market.
Besides this a private institute is normally quicker in the reaction on changing interests. The development of courses is also faster and if the course or the school is successful there is enough money to redesign it as often as necessary.
Important is that fair rules in the contract, the duty to give full and true information and good services are secured. As I told before in most of the countries the minimum-standard of the contents of courses and the contract is guaranteed by a law or by a voluntary examination. The members of the AECS for example have accepted a special code of ethics.
If you in the eastern countries are deciding about the different opportunities to give your people the chance to learn for example the new economics or the western languages you should encourage those who plan to build up a distance teaching institute-perhaps as a joint-venture with an experienced western partner. And the government shall support this way of learning the same as other ways. This does not only mean financial support. This means also the same chance of examinations and the acceptance of the certificates.
- The German Success Story
As I am also the President of the German association of distance teaching schools (DFV) I would like to give you an example of how quick and effective private initiatives in distance learning can be.
In the late spring 1989 the German distance teaching institutes got the first inquiries from interested people out of the so called DDR. We discussed in the German association what we could do because they had not the same money, our courses were and are still for them very expensive and leading to exams in the so called BRD.
Together with the German government office for distance teaching the institutes designed special courses for the "new" Germans regarding the German law for distance education. The government gave us some financial help and with the start or the West-German mark in the still existing DDR we started to present our courses. More than half a million interested people wrote within 3 months mainly to the big distance teaching institutes and asked for the program. More than fifty thousand enrolments for those special designed courses could be counted within the first six months. No other way of teaching than distance teaching is able to help in such a short time so many students.
At the moment for most of the inhabitants of the "new" countries it is important to learn the new way of living specially in the economic field besides working and rebuilding a new private life. We think that distance teaching is a wonderful way to do both-learning and earning.
- The AECS—What is it?
AECS is the European Association of schools, institutions and individuals working in correspondence and distance education. With members from over 15 European countries, the Association is a representative forum of exchange of information and ideas on current practice and developments in the expanding field of education and training.
The History
AECS was established in 1985 by a merger between the two existing Associations, the CEC, The European Council for Education by Correspondence, which was established in 1963 and the EHSC, The European Home Study Council which was founded in 1968.
There is a long record in the organisation of conferences and workshops, in the support of research both in member institutions and at research institutes, and in the publication of yearbooks, bibliographies, proceedings and the journal EPISTOLODIDAKTIKA. More than 40 conferences/workshops have been arranged.
The well-known research project on two-way communication in correspondence education at the University of Lund, Sweden, was initiated and supported by practical assistance by EHSC.
The merger between CEC and EHSC in 1985 inaugurated a new period of broader co-operation and exchange of experience in correspondence and distance education in Europe.
The Objectives
AECS is an international non profit-making Association of schools, institutions and persons concerned with distance education in which systematic teaching and two-way communication between student and teacher or institution takes place. The two-way communication takes place by regular exchange of written, printed or recorded word or by means of electronic media like electronic data communication, interactive video and so on.
The objectives of the Association are:
- to promote knowledge of distance education, its potentials and achievements (course development, the use of media, two-way communication and so on);
- to promote professional and ethical standards in distance education;
- to promote fair competition between private and non-private (governmental) institutions in distance education;
- to promote research into the methods of distance education;
- to promote co-operation in exchange of ideas and research results between members;
- to maintain contact with and to co-operate with educational governmental and non-governmental organisations and other official bodies directly or indirectly interested in distance education;
- to promote and protect the interests of members and students;
- to promote the establishment of an co-operation with national councils and associations of distance education institutions;
- to do all other things incidental or conductive to the attainment of the above objectives.
Major Activities
AECS Conferences are popular events with a very high priority in the Association. They are arranged once a year-usually in May-in different European countries and with various themes. In this way AECS is following up the long traditions of CEC and EHSC, establishing a regular forum for exchange of ideas, experience and research results between members and others with an interest in correspondence and distance education. Participation in AECS conferences is open, but members pay a reduced fee.
Epistolodidaktika—the European Journal of Distance Education—comes twice a year. The journal was founded in 1964 by R M Delling, and taken over in 1971 by EHSC. The publication of Epistolodidaktika is now an AECS responsibility.
Epistolodidaktika is a professional journal with international papers from the distance education field in general. Naturally, there is an emphasis on correspondence education as developed in the European tradition and context. A Network section brings topical news from members of the Association.
Subscription of Epistolodidaktika is open. The subscription fee is included in the AECS membership fee. The yearly subscription fee for non-members is £10, covering 2 issues per year.
The Diploma in Distance Education has been devised primarily to help meet training needs of member schools, but the courses are conducted internationally in English. The diploma courses comprises several modules covering various aspects of distance education. Members of AECS are allowed to run one or more of the modules in in-school training schemes.
The diploma in distance education is governed by a Diploma Foundation and organised by a Course Committee.
AECS Research Grants is a scheme organised by the Research and Development Committee of AECS/ Grants are available for research projects which are considered to be of general interest to the association. Reports of projects receiving support from the AECS research grant scheme should be published in Epistolodidaktika and/or be presented at an AECS conference.
Further Information
Further information on AECS may be obtained from the Secretary of the Association:
Mr Kees Veen,
Koninklijke PBNA,
Postbus 9053,
6800 GS Arnhem,
The Netherlands
