With the support of CRE
Professor Georges van der Perre, President of EuroPACE 2000, Belgium (Chair)
Professor Károly Kocsis, Rector, Acting Vice-President, National Council of Distance Education (Co-Chair)
Professor László Méray, Co-Chair of the Local Organising Committee, Hungary
Dr András Benedek, Deputy State Secretary, Ministry of Labour, Hungary
Professor Ladislav Cerych, Director, Education Policy Centre, Czech Republic
Mr Claudio Dondi, SCIENTER, Italy
Mr Marc Durando, Head of SOCRATES Technical Assistance Office
Professor Boris Galabov, National Centre for Distance Education, Bulgaria
Mr Kari Lampikoski, Director of Research and Development, Institute of Marketing, Finland
Dr Gottfried Leibbrandt, National Commission for UNESCO, The Netherlands
Mr Richard Lewis, Pro-Vice Chancellor, Student, Tutorial and Regional Services, Open University
Profesor Valery Meskov, Deputy Chairman, Russian State Committee for Higher Education
Professor Michel Moreau, Rector, CNED, France
Mr Ed Prosser, DG for Employment, Industrial Relations and Social Affairs, European Commission
Professor Jacques Vauthier, Co-Chair of the EDEN-EADTU Joint Task Force
Mr James Wimberley, Head of Higher Education Section, Council of Europe
Dr Christel Claeys, LINOV, KU Leuven, Belgium (Assistant to Programme Chair)
Ms Judy Frankl, Executive Secretary, EDEN
Budapest will be the venue of EDEN's seventh annual conference, and marks the return of EDEN to its beginning, when, in May 1990, shortly after the momentous political changes in Central and Eastern Europe, the Technical University of Budapest hosted the first pan-European meeting of distance educators. This meeting launched the Budapest Platform, which was EDEN's predecessor. During the 1990s, significant processes and changes have occurred in open and distance learning characterised by its expansion, diversification and the rapidly increasing recognition of ODL alongside mainstream education. International co-operation and the growing impact of advanced technology have also been key features in ODL. This conference in Budapest offers a possibility to summarise the considerable achievements of ODL in this decade, identify the main changes and trends, and look forward to future developments and objectives.
Budapest, the 'pearl of the Danube', is two cities in one, divided by the Danube and and held together by eight picturesque bridges. On its hilly west side is historic Buda, with its skyline of spires, maze of cobbled streets, and medieval houses clustered around the gothic St Matthias Church. High on Fisherman's Bastion, there are glorious views down to Pest on the Danube's eastern bank. This is Budapest's cosmopolitan centre housing the Hungarian Parliament and laid out in a network of elegant boulevards full of shops, restaurants and a bustling cultural life. Situated on the west bank of the Danube, the Technical University of Budapest, founded in 1782, is one of the largest institutions of higher education in Hungary, and is now one of Central Europe's most important research centres.
Included in the fee for registered conference participants are the Welcome Reception in the famous Hotel Gellért, Gala Dinner on the River Danube, and a city sightseeing tour.
Included in the fee for accompanying guests are the Welcome Reception, the Gala Dinner, a city sightseeing tour and a half day tour to Szentendre. Optional tours are also available, and reservations should be made on the accompanying hotel and programme reservation form.
Please find details of accomodation on the hotel and programme reservation form. Special rates have been negotiated for EDEN conference participants. If you would like to reserve a room, please complete and return the ttached form to the DER Travel Agency/Congress Dept. Deposits have to be paid in advance.
The Technical University of Budapest is situated very centrally on the Buda side of the city, with easy access by bus and tram. An excellent minibus service is also available from the airport to the city.
Institutions or companies are invited to book a space in the exhibition area, which will be open to all delegates. Please indicate if you would like to reserve space on the delegate registration form. Exhibition space is free for delegates. Other companies should contact Professor László Méray, Tel/Fax: +36 88 422 103 for further details and prices.
Optional sightseeing
12.00-20.00 Registration
20.00-22.00 Welcome reception in Gellért Hotel
8.00-9.30 Registration
9.30-10.30 Opening Ceremony. The Opening Ceremony will include: Árpád Göncz, President of State, Hungary (tbc), Péter Kiss, Minister of Labour, Hungary, Mária Honti, State Secretary, Ministry of Education, and Chair of National Council of Distance Education, Hungary, Hans Beck, Head of Delegation of European Union
11.00-13.00 Keynote addresses: 'ODL in the society', by Prof. Kristóf
Nyíri, Member of Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Director of Institute
of Philosophy, Hungary.
'The European Union and its role and impact on ODL', by Prof. Ruberti,
Universita di Roma 'La Sapienza'
13.00-14.30 Lunch
14.30-15.30 Panel Discussion (1) with invited panelists:
1. Information bridges: advanced technology in ODL
2. Bridges in Europe: Networks in Europe, new partnerships, East West collaboration,
PHARE support in DE
3. Distance, openness, flexibility: diversification of ODL
16.00-17.30 Parallel Sessions (1):
1. Global Collaboration in ODL
2. Development and Use of New Technologies in ODL
3. Quality, evaluation and assessment in ODL
4. The use of ODL to cater for the needs of specific target groups
17.30-18.30 Poster Session (1): National Cases
9.00-10.30 Plenary Session. Keynote address: Human resource policies and practice in Europe
11.00-12.30 Parallel Sessions (2):
1. Trans-European Collaboration in ODL
2. Collaborative learning and Computer Communication
3. Educational research in ODL
4. Continuing Education and Communication using ODL
12.30-14.00 Lunch
14.00-15.00 Panel Discussion (2) with invited panelists:
4. ODL in information society: new applications, institutional structures,
new clients and shareholders of ODL
5. ODL in EU programmes: impacts and achievements
6. ODL methodology, quality, research
15.30-16.30 EDEN General Assembly
17.00-18.30 Panel Discussion (3) on NAP activities
17.00-18.30 Poster Session (2): European Collaboration and Projects
20.00 Gala dinner on the River Danube
9.00-10.30 Parallel Sessions (3):
1. Dual mode vs Single Mode in Higher Education
2. Skills needed for Distance Learning and Teaching
3. Language Learning through ODL
4. ODL in Health Care
11.00-12.30 Plenary Session: followed by keynote address: subject and speaker to be confirmed.
Closing remarks
12.30-14.00 Lunch
14.00-Optional sightseeing
Starting from the Main Entrance (looking to the Danube) of Central Building (Building K) of the Technical University of Budapest
This sightseeing tour introduces the capital's most attractive features, including the Heroes' Square with its Millenium Monument, Matthias Church and the Fishermen's Bastion in the Castle area.
Participant will visit the interesting historic town of Eger, well-known for its fortress, Turkish Monuments and numerous wine cellars. The tour includes a visit to the medieval Eger Castle, lunch and wine tasting.
Bus tour to the scenic Danube bend. Sightseeing in the artists' village of Szentendre, with its charming narrow streets and quaint little churches. Visit the famous Margit Kovács Museum of Ceramics (entrance fee is included).
This cheerful evening starts in a traditional wine cellar restaurant. There will be a special Hungarian menu, Gypsy music, and a folklore programme. (Dinner and drinks are included) Bus transfer.
Bus tour to Hollókõ, the only village designated by UNESCO as a cultural world heritage. The village is famous for its folk architecture, costumes and has a pictoresque location in the Cserhát hills. Population: 650. The "Palóc" folklore sho and lunch are included.
A day-trip along the Danube River. Visit Esztergom, the residence of the Hungarian Archbishop, a walk around the Medieval Castle of the Hungarian kings, and a stopover in Visegrád, a historic settlement which was the other favoured residence of Hungarian kings. Visit Szentendre, a little picturesque town. Lunch included.
Guided tour by bus. Visit the Parliament building interior, unless it is in session, followed by the National Gallery in the former Royal Palace on Castle Hill.
Lake Balaton, the Hungarian Sea, is the largest freshwater lake in central Europe. Due to the friendly climate and mild water, Lake Balaton is a perfect summer resort. Visit the old Abbey in Tihany, village museum. Lunch included.
EDEN Secretariat UK
PO Box 92, Milton Keynes MK7 DX, UK
Tel: ++ 44 (0) 1908 654147
Fax:++ 44 (0) 1908 654374
e-mail: eden@open.ac.ukHotel and Tours:
Ms. Rosi Kovacs, DER Travel Agency / Congress Dept.,
Bajcsy-Zsilinszky út 12, H-1051 Budapest
Tel.: +36 1 266-6977
Fax: +36 1 266-6132Up-to-date information can be found on the EDEN Home Page: