The Commonwealth of Learning- Commonwealth Educational Media Centre for Asia (COL-CEMCA) and the National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC) organised a two-day Capacity Building Workshop for Faculty Members of Online Education on 28-29 September 2026 at Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar Open University (BAOU), Ahmedabad. The workshop brought together faculty members from 14 universities across India.

The workshop focused on “Capacity Building for Improving Quality Assurance Systems” and aimed to strengthen institutional capacity for delivering quality online education through effective academic practices and robust quality assurance mechanisms.

The inaugural session was attended by Prof. Ganesan Kannabiran, Director, NAAC; Dr. B. Shadrach, Director, CEMCA; Prof. Uma Kanjilal, Vice Chancellor, IGNOU; Prof. Sanjaya Mishra, Higher Education Specialist; and Prof. Ami Upadhyay, Vice Chancellor, BAOU, along with senior experts from NAAC and participating institutions.

Prof. Ganesan Kannabiran highlighted NAAC’s focus on capacity building, research funding and internationalisation, while outlining the importance of strengthening quality assurance practices in online programmes.

Dr. B. Shadrach, emphasised five critical pillars of quality online education—Curriculum Design, Content Development, Teaching and Learning, Assessment, and Learner Support. He encouraged the participating faculty members to take forward the learning from the workshop as “Trainers of Trainers”, enabling wider institutional capacity building and knowledge sharing.

The workshop highlighted that quality online education extended beyond technology and regulatory compliance. Discussions emphasised the importance of sound academic design, capable faculty, meaningful learner engagement, effective assessment, learner support and institutional commitment to quality.

The workshop subsequently provided a platform for intensive dialogue, collaborative learning and knowledge exchange, supporting participating institutions in strengthening their online education practices and quality assurance systems.  Through this collaborative initiative, COL-CEMCA and NAAC continue to advance quality, learner-centred and inclusive online education while strengthening institutional capacities for sustainable and future-ready higher education in India.