Professor Som Naidu is internationally renowned for his scholarship in Open, Flexible, Distance and Online Learning, most notably as Executive Editor of the journal “Distance Education”, one of the world’s leading journals in the field.
He s currently Pro-Vice Chancellor and Director, Center for Flexible Learning, at the University of the South Pacific and has previously served in a variety of roles in the enhancement of learning and teaching at several Australian universities. Dr. Naidu possesses doctoral qualifications in Educational Technology from Concordia University in Montreal, Canada.
A former president of the Open and Distance Learning Association of Australia, Dr. Naidu has served as executive editor of its journal Distance Education since 1997. In May 2014 the Open University of Sri Lanka awarded Dr. Naidu a D.Litt. (Honoris Causa), in recognition of his extensive contribution to the field of open, flexible, distance and e-learning both regionally and internationally.
In addition, in July 2020, Advance Higher Education, UK, admitted Dr. Naidu as Principal Fellow of the Higher Education Academy for his commitment, contribution and strategic leadership in the scholarship of learning and teaching.
Interview: https://episodes.castos.com/onlinelearninglegends/050-Som-Naidu-Final.mp3 | recorded October2020
Som’s online profile: https://www.usp.ac.fj/index.php?id=19639
Som’s LinkedIn profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/som-naidu-phd-d-litt-346a7199/
Distance Education (ODLAA Journal): https://www.tandfonline.com/toc/cdie20/current
Current Affiliations (as at November 2020):
- ICDE Executive Committee: https://www.icde.org/icde-governance-resources/category/Executive+Committee
- Executive Committee member (Open Education Global): https://www.oeconsortium.org/2019/03/oec-welcomes-new-board-members/
Recent keynote:
- Naidu, S. (2019). Rethinking and redesigning education systems for a future focused learning. Keynote at the 25th CIAED – ABED International Congress of Distance Education (20 to 24 October 2019), at the Cenacon, Poços de Caldas City, State of Minas Gerais, Brazil. Theme: “Hybrid approaches in the Teaching-Learning in DE”. http://www.abed.org.br/congresso2019.
Nominated works (open access):
- Karunanayaka, S. & Naidu, S. (Eds.) (2016). Dreamweaving Open Educational Practice. Nawala, Nugegoda, Sri Lanka: The Open University of Sri Lanka. Retrieved from http://www.ou.ac.lk/home/images/OUSL/publications/Dreamweaving%20Open%20Educational%20Practices.pdf.
- Karunanayaka, S. & Naidu, S. (Eds.) (2014). Integrating OER in Educational Practice: Practitioner Stories (ISBN 978-955-23-152-68). Nugegoda: The Open University of Sri Lanka. Available at http://www.ou.ac.lk/home/images/OUSL/publications/intergratingOERinEducationalPractice.pdf.
Twitter: @sommnaidu