Our Dean of the School of Open Learning, Dr Li Kam Cheong, has just been awarded the Prize of Excellence by the International Council for Open and Distance Education (ICDE), after receiving in September this year the most prestigious prize from Asian Association of Open Universities: Meritorious Service Award.

ICDE is the largest global organization of open education with more than 200 higher education institutions and organizations around the world. This Prize of Excellence is awarded to individuals who have shown great leadership and excellence in the field of open, flexible, and distance education at the national, regional, or global level, especially in the last five to ten years. One recipient is selected each year through a rigorous nomination and evaluation process.

The award acknowledges the worldwide recognition of Dr Li as an expert and significant contributor to the advancement of open, flexible, and distance education. For ten years, he has served as the Editor and later Editor-in-Chief for the Asian Association of Open Universities Journal. He put forward several major developments for open education at an international level, including establishment of international quality review services for Asian institutions, as well as involvement in setting up a distinctive MOOC platform in Asia. At HKMU, with a small team, he ensures provision of innovative learning support and services for open and distance learning students. For a decade, he has chaired the annual International Conference on Open and Innovative Education. Additionally, he serves as Director of the Institute for Research in Open and Innovative Education, leading research in a critical area of the University. He enjoys international recognition as a popular keynote speaker.

As stated in the laudation from the ICDE for the Individual Prize of Excellence,

“Dr. Kam-Cheong Li has played a key role in numerous projects and initiatives aimed at advancing open education regionally and globally through his own institution, the Hong Kong Metropolitan University, the Asian Association of Open Universities (AAOU), and through ICDE, always fostering a culture of collaboration and innovation. Dr. Kam-Cheong Li’s achievements include founding the Institute for Research in Open and Innovative Education at Hong Kong Metropolitan University to promote open education and conduct research in the field.”