Two hybrid Knowledge Dialogues convened by ICDE and the UPOU— the second hosted at Asian Development Bank headquarters, with UNESCO, SEAMEO and ADB on the panel — will carry regional priorities into the 31st ICDE World Conference in 2027.
Education leaders, policymakers, researchers and practitioners will meet in Cebu City and in Metro Manila for two Knowledge Dialogues on how open, distance and flexible education can make learning systems more resilient and future-ready. The International Council for Open and Distance Education (ICDE) and the University of the Philippines Open University (UPOU) convene both events, which are open to onsite and online participation.
Hosted by and in partnership with the University of the Philippines Cebu, the Cebu Knowledge Dialogue on 23 September 2026 will focus on resilient, inclusive, scalable, and sustainable learning systems, with presentations and roundtables on AI, institutional resilience, and community-based learning.
The second will take place on 25 September at the Asian Development Bank (ADB) Headquarters in Mandaluyong City. Organized with ADB, the Manila dialogue will bring open and distance education into discussion with one of the region’s leading development institutions, focusing on strengthening regional cooperation and generating practical insights for education policy and practice.
The Cebu dialogue is open to onsite and online participants, with registration required for both. The Manila dialogue is open to online participants through registration, while onsite attendance is by invitation only. Registration details and the full programme are available through UPOU’s Facebook page, and inquiries may be sent to [email protected].
ICDE Secretary General Torunn Gjelsvik will deliver a keynote reflection at the Manila dialogue, followed by a panel discussion featuring representatives from UNESCO, the Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organization (SEAMEO), and ADB.
“These Knowledge Dialogues provide an important opportunity to bring together regional and global perspectives on the future of learning. The insights generated in Cebu and Manila will help shape discussions leading up to the 31st ICDE World Conference in 2027,” Gjelsvik said.
UPOU will host the 31st ICDE World Conference in Cebu City on 15-19 November 2027.
The International Council for Open and Distance Education (ICDE) is an independent, non-profit membership organization that has worked to widen access to quality education since 1938. For 57 years, ICDE has served as a consultative partner to UNESCO, contributing its expertise and global network to discussions on education and lifelong learning. The World Conference is the organization’s flagship event, creating a space for leaders and practitioners from around the world to share ideas, build partnerships, and shape the future of open, distance, and flexible learning.
The University of the Philippines Open University (UPOU) is the country’s premier distance education institution and host of the 31st ICDE World Conference in 2027. Established in 1995, UPOU provides flexible higher education, advances open and distance e-learning, and supports other higher education institutions in developing their distance education programs.
