The Connected Learning Consortium aims to promote, coordinate, collaborate and/or support the provision of quality higher education in contexts of conflict, crisis and displacement through connected learning by sharing and disseminating knowledge, experience and evidence; developing innovative and good practice; and ensuring accountability to students and their communities in order to foster self-reliance.
Our objectives are to:
- Coordinate efforts and collaborate on the provision of Higher Education in contexts of conflict, crisis and displacement through connected learning;
- Develop innovative and good practice, quality standards and sustainable and potentially scalable solutions;
- Develop, share and disseminate scientific evidence and M&E models respectful of humanitarian principles;
- Raise awareness and advocate for connected learning in higher education in contexts of conflict, crisis and displacement; and
- Develop and share innovative pedagogical approaches to delivering technology-supported connected learning.
Underpinning our mission are unifying humanitarian principles that serve as the foundation for the Consortium’s work. In addition, each institution has overlapping values that unit us, these include Respect, Collaboration, Knowledge Sharing, Professionalism, Commitment, and Integrity.
Background
In 2014, UNHCR held a roundtable in Nairobi to convene Connected Learning actors for the first time. The benefits were obvious, and as a result a series of additional meetings were convened and led by educational partners and funded by SNIS and PEIC, to share experiences and problem solve together. In late 2015, partners came together to design the framework for a formal consortium, which received an inception grant from the Open Society Foundations.
In 2016, concrete steps were taken to unify innovative and digital higher education efforts through the establishment of the Connected Learning Consortium, which focuses particularly on addressing the undermet needs of refugees and displaced communities. The Consortium has attracted engagement from a wider set of actors, formalized the practice of experience-sharing, established the groundwork for a dynamic community of practice, and strengthened networking across programs.
The Consortium efforts were aided by Al Fanar Media, Ford Foundation, GIZ, and OSF who have actively contributed to this field by convening relevant stakeholders – advancing our understanding of this field and strengthening programming for refugees.
In 2017, the Consortium focused on building the collective momentum to consolidate effective protection-based programming in higher education through digital and connected learning, with a view to expanding geographical reach, consolidating partnerships, enhancing synergies, and strengthening the evidence base for progressive pedagogies. The CLCC Quality Guidelines Playbook was released later that year, and is available in the Publications section of this site.
