WELCOME TO THE SWEDISH ASSOCIATION FOR DISTANCE EDUCATION (SVERD)
The Swedish Association for Distance Education (SVERD) is a professional organization in Sweden for all those involved in open, online and flexible distance learning, including technology-enabled learning. SVERD members come from the entire education sector, from K-12 to higher education, and public education, business and the private sector are also represented. With SVERD you will meet people from all over the world. SVERD allows members to build personal networks and establish important contacts.
SVERD was founded in 1984 with the aim of expanding knowledge and participating in the development of open, online and flexible distance learning, including technology-enhanced learning (OOFAT). SVERD has no permanent staff. SVERD organizes two annual conferences, one of which is the annual conference. The conferences deal with current and interesting topics of concern to the members.
SVERD works with a number of international organizations, such as EDEN Digital Learning Europe.
SVERD initiates the exchange of experience, cooperation and networking among its members and creates open meeting places by organizing conferences, webinars and seminars as well as other formal and informal meetings. SVERD also promotes international exchange, cooperation and networking. SADE aims to stimulate and promote the development of knowledge in the field of open, online and flexible distance learning, including technology-enhanced learning (OOFAT), but also the changes brought about by increasing digitialization, education 4.0 and the future of education. SVERD is also a recommendation body for the governing bodies and is actively involved in the current debate in the fields.
In ongoing projects, SVERD’s most important role is to stand for evaluation and knowledge dissemination. SVERD has both
Nationally and internationally, a network and a reputation that allow the exchange of the project
Experience with relevant organizations and institutions in different sectors
One aim of SVERD is also to organize an annual excursion to an exciting destination where the company is making progress in distance and flexible learning. Sunderland in England and the FernUniversitaet in Hagen, Germany, are two examples of previous destinations.
To summarize SVERD
– initiate the exchange of experience and cooperation between our members
– create open communities by organizing, inter alia, conferences, webinars and seminars
– promote international exchange and cooperation
– promote the development of knowledge in the fields of open, on-line and flexible distance learning, including technology-enhanced learning (OOFAT)
– contribute to the development of the area monitored by the management committee.
Conferences
SVERD organizes or collaborates with other organizations each year on an autumn conference (or a seminar) where we bring up to date and interesting themes that we know involve members, eg in the areas of
• learn roles and distance methods
• Distance-Spanning Technology
• interaction in flexible training
As a member of Sverd you get discounted fee at our conferences, and also for the International conferences, organized by our collaborators..
SVERD has been participating and coordinating several years in projects financed and coordinated by the Nordic Council Council of Ministers. SVERD has also participated in projects financed by the EU 2017 and ongoing. SVERDs common role in projects are often that of expert contributions, evaluation and dissemination of knowledge. SADE has a network and reputation both nationally and internationally, enabling the exchange of projects.
SVERDnytt
SverdNytt newsletter and website
SVERD publishes twice a year a newsletter (in Swedish) in the form of SVERDnytt , which contains up-to-date articles on open, online and flexible distance learning, including technology-enhanced learning (OOFAT), and other current information from Swedish and international conferences. SVERDnytt also invites members to address issues of learning, teaching and pedagogical project activities in the field of open, online and flexible distance education, including technology-enhanced learning (OOFAT), as well as research, etc. As a member SVERD you will receive the SverdNytt newsletter four times a year. Here you can read articles about distance and flexible learning. You will receive reports from Swedish and international conferences. SverdNytt also gives you the opportunity to raise questions about teaching, research etc. Please also visit our website www.sverd.se. There you will find interesting links, an open forum, current news and much more. You can also register as a member on the website.
International collaboration
SADE interacts and has been interacting with a number of international organizations as:
Nordic Network for Adults Learning (Nordiskt nätverk för vuxnas lärande, NVL)
The Nordic Network for Adult Learners (Nordiskt nätverk för vuxnas lärande, (NVL) supports Nordic co-operation in lifelong learning perspectives, facilitates the exchange of experience and innovations and supports the development of policy and practice. Digitalization is a priority area in the Nordic co-operation, as expressed in the Presidency Programs over the past several years. In 2018, NVL decided to make a new effort in this area in line with Nordic strategies and within a lifelong learning perspective. A working group was established to make specific proposals for NVL’s future efforts in the field of digitalization and lifelong learning.
NORDIC NETWORK FOR FLEXIBLE, OPEN AND ONLINE EDUCATION
SVERD was one of the initiators and founders of NordFlexOn
The main aim of the NordFlexOn network is to be a facilitator and promoter of inclusive, flexible, quality learning and teaching in the digital age in the Nordic countries, with a global outreach. The network aims to spread practice-based and research-based knowledge concerning flexible online learning and teaching nationally and internationally.
Professionals from online schools, universities, colleges and other educational institutions decided at a meeting in Lillehammer 13 April 2019 to establish a Nordic network for flexible, open and online education. The network has around 70 members at the moment. The acronym of the network is NordFlexOn,
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Exchange of knowledge and experiences
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Exchange of contacts
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Meeting points face-to-face and online
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Project cooperation
ICDE International Council for Open and Distance Education
SADE coordinated the ICDE_Operational Network Boldic during 2014-2016
EDEN DLE Digital Learning Europe is the new name of the EDEN network.
SADE was organizing a preconference 13 th June 2017, joint to the EDEN2017 at Jönköping University 13-16 June 2017. The theme for the pre conference is Digital Transformation and Diversity in a Swedish Context. For more details on the program see SADEs webpage here
International Projects
Current Projects
A2V Agile2Vet 2022-2024 Se link http://www.agile2vet.eu
Previously Projects
SADE has coordinated the BOLDIC project for more than 10 years, A project funded by the Nordic Council of Ministers on Best practice on OER in the Baltic countries.
We welcome you as a member!
Membership fees
Organizational members: 2 500 SEK
Single member: SEK 250
Contact details
SADE 802011-5872
Bankgiro 5130-6702
SVERDs’s Office, PO Box 3033, 871 03 Harnosand
kansliet@sverd.se
www.sverd.se
