Yangon University held a ceremony for the opening of the 3rd Residential School by TIDE (Transformation by Innovation in Distance Education) at its Scientific Research Building yesterday morning.
Union Minister for Education, Dr. Myo Thein Gyi, spoke at the opening ceremony. He said the TIDE project is a collaboration between the universities of Myanmar and the UK for developing the distance education system in our country.
He said the project aims to impart important skills that will ensure job security for the 500,000 plus students who study via distance education in Myanmar. He said TIDE will develop the field of environmental science, an important field of study in Myanmar, and improve the curriculum to international standards.
The Union Minister said the processes for development which will be acquired from improving this subject matter will be applied to other subjects that support regional development and new idea on how to employ that will be given as well.
The TIDE project is supporting the endeavours of the Ministry of Education and will continue until September 2021, said the Union Minister. He added that they project will provide capacity building courses to over 300 faculty members and staff of 30 universities across the country.
The Union Minister also said TIDE is part of the UK Government’s larger SPHEIR Project, which is headed by the UK’s Department for International Development and in cooperation with the British Council and Universities UK International.
Next, British Ambassador Mr. Dan Chugg, Academic Director Prof. Andy Lane of The Open University, and Yangon University’s Rector Dr. Poe Kaung delivered separate speeches.
Later in the day, the Union Minister and entourage visited the ‘World Metrology Day 2019’ event at Melia Hotel, Yangon. The event is a collaboration between the Department of Research and Innovation and the Germany-based organization PTB.
World Metrology Day celebrates the anniversary of the signing of the Metre Convention in 1875. Representatives from 17 nations discussed on a common system of measurements which led way to the eventual establishment of the International System of Units. —MNA (Translated by Zaw Htet Oo)
