Open and distance learning (ODL) has grown exponentially due to the technology-mediated teaching and learning process and the fast developments in information and communication technologies. With the growth of the Internet and mobile broadband access, stakeholders can now access needed information quickly. However, the growth of information in the field is so fast that it is also tricky for subject experts and ODL practitioners to keep abreast of the latest developments. Due to the rapid growth and development of ODL, policymakers, educational administrators, vice-chancellors, teachers, researchers, and civil society partners engaged in improving access to quality education and training need the services of an ‘Observatory’ in the field of ODL. Many domain-specific observatories in the field of education provide specific need-based services in the areas of borderless education, global education, educational technology, ICT in education policy, micro-credentials, and vocational education and training.

The ODL Observatory intends to serve as a one-stop portal for information related to ODL around the world. Collected and curated from the web and generated in collaboration with stakeholders, the platform disseminates quality information to all. It is also a platform for connecting experts and institutions engaged in the delivery of ODL courses and programmes.