Page 16 - Open and Distance Education In Asia : Good Practice From AAOU Members

xiv OPEN AND DISTANCE EDUCATON IN ASIA
Good Practices from AAOU Members

Japan - OUJ colleges and miscellaneous schools, private
Prior until now, lifelong learning was thought education and cultural businesses, and social
to be the most distant aspect of Japanese correspondence education. The OUJ was
higher education. The common perception developed in 2007 based on the previously
of lifelong learning as a continuation of DE institution called the University of the Air,
social schooling and “leisure learning” or which was founded back in 1983. The OUJ is
“time killing” for persons with lots of free legally classified as “Private University” that is
time could be one explanation for this. funded by the Government’s “Management
The deeper problem, however, is that the Expenses Grant” and aims to be a lifelong
mechanisms in existence at higher education learning institution providing a wide range
institutions were not designed to adequately of people with opportunities for obtaining
meet the needs of lifelong learners. Instead, higher education. In addition to its formal
it was widely acknowledged that they were education programs, OUJ has also been
relatively closed systems for adult learners. active in developing and offering OERs and
Over the years, the higher education MOOCs in collaboration with Japan’s MOOC
system in Japan has gone several changes (JMOOC).
and movement towards diversification of
higher education institutions providing the Sri Lanka - OUSL
opportunities for adult learners to use higher The first non-traditional higher education
education for lifelong learning. Currently, institution in Sri Lanka was founded in 1972
there are more than ten types of post- when the government of Sri Lanka established
secondary educational institutions that can the External Services Agency (ESA) to register
be used as lifelong learning opportunities students for the university’s external exams.
in Japan including university extension, The OUSL was ceremonially launched on
correspondence education at universities June 19, 1980 but was legally instituted as
and junior colleges, specialized training a university on July 22, 1980. The mission

Introduction