Professor Chris Curran. BSc.Econ. (Lond); MSc. Econ. (Dub); PhD. (Rdam).

POSITIONS HELD

National Distance Education Centre

(Oscail)

Director (founding). 1982-1999

The National Distance Education Centre provides access to university education, primarily for mature adults. The Centre is the nucleus of a national co-operative network of universities, (tertiary) institutes of technology, and professional bodies. The activities of the Centre are funded by a dedicated budget provided by the Higher Education Authority and by earned income.

Some 2,500 students are currently registered on degree and post-graduate courses; in addition there are more than 1,000 students on professional development and other courses. The first credit-courses were introduced in 1987; since then 763 students have been conferred with undergraduate degrees, 1,264 with diplomas, and 533 with awards at post-graduate level.

Faculty of Distance Education

Dublin City University

Dean. 1987-1999

Academic programmes include: BA in Arts/Humanities; BSc in Information Technology; BNS in Nursing Studies; MSc in IT in Accounting; MSc in Management of Operations; MSc in Internet Systems (to be introduced this year). The BA in Humanities is an inter-university programme; students can register with any one of six universities and take the degree of that university.

The Director and staff of the Centre are active in research. External funding of some 1 MECU has been secured over the last few years; projects have been managed or undertaken on behalf of a range of EU programmes including DELTA, COMETT, EURO-FORM, ADAPT, TEMPUS, PHARE AND SOCRATES. The Director has undertaken commissions/consultancies for the EU, UNESCO and the World Bank/HEDCO.

Environmental Research Institute

(An Foras Forbartha)

Director of Education. 1969-1982

A National Institute, established by the Government of Ireland and the United Nations, to undertake research and provide education and training. Education programmes were provided for physical planners; social scientists; architects; engineers; local government administrators; managers in the construction industry; teachers; and other engaged or interested in environmental research, practice, management or development.

College of Technology.

Senior Lecturer. 1966-1969

A third-level institute providing wholetime degree courses in construction economics, surveying, architecture, engineering, and related disciplines.

Industrial Training Authority

(An Cheard Chomhairle)

Chief Supervisor. 1964-1966

A national institute responsible for developing and implementing training programmes for industry.

REPRESENTATION

International

European Association of Distance Teaching Universities.

Commission of the European Union

European Conference of Rectors

United Nations

OECD

Governing Board (1986-);

New Technologies Research Group (Chairman 1988-99)

Socio-Economic Working Group (1996-)

Information Engineering Group (1996-99)

IVth Framework Research Programme - Telematic applications (Board Member)

Task Force on Human Resources - Expert Group on Distance Education (1993-96)

Expert Group ENIG (Chairman 1978-1984)

Expert Group on Distance Education (1993-96)

Infoterra (1976-82)

Expert Group (1974-78)

National

National Council for Educational Awards

Higher Education Authority

St Patrick's College

Governing Council (1989-)

Academic Committee (1989-)

Humanities Board (1990-)

Expert Group (1997-1999)

Governing Authority (1996-)

Internal

Dublin City University

National Environmental Research Institute

COMMISSIONED STUDIES

Executive Committee (1991-99)

Academic Council (Senate) (1982-99)

Committee of Deans (1987-99)

Strategic Planning Group (1993-99)

Management Committee (1976-1982)

Commission of the European Communities: DG XXII Education, Training and Youth. Socrates Programme.

European Committee of Rectors

Commission of the European Communities: DG XXII Education, Training and Youth.

Commission of the European Communities: DG XXIII. DELTA Office.

Curran C and Fox S. (1999) Telematics and Open and Distance Learning (II) . Dublin: National Distance Education Centre.

Curran C and Fox S. (1997) Telematics and Open and Distance Learning (I) . Dublin: National Distance Education Centre.

Curran C and leKlerk L V. (1998) New Technologies for Teaching and Learning: University of Vienna. (Mono)

Curran C. (1996) The Potential Cost Effectiveness of Tertiary Open and Distance Learning. Brussels: European Commission. ISBN 92-827-5656-4.

Curran C., Fox S. and Goldrick I. (1995) Telematics Services for Tertiary Distance Teaching Brussels: European Commission. (Mono)

Curran C. (1993) Information and Tele-communication Technologies Applied to Education and Training. Brussels: CEC DELTA Office. 1993.

Bacsich P., Curran C., Fox S., Hogg V., Mason R., and Rawlings A. (1993) Telematic Networks for Open and Distance Learning in the Tertiary Sector - Vols 1 and 2. Heerlen: EADTU.

World Bank-HEDCO

Open University of the Netherlands

UNESCO-ICDE

Curran C and Murphy P. (1992)"Distance Education at the Second Level and for Teacher Education in Six African Countires" Murphy P and Zhiri A. Distance Education in Anglophone Africa. Washington: The World Bank. ISBN 0-8213-1908-6

Curran C. ( 1990) The Economics of Distance Education. Course for Programme on Education Economics..

Curran C. (1990) "Resource Factors" UNESCO Developments in Distance Education in Asia: An analysis of five case studies. Paris: UNESCO-ICDE.

RECENT PUBLICATIONS

Curran C and Fox S. (in press) Telematics and Open and Distance Learning Weinheim: Deutscher Studien Verlag.

Curran C. (in press) "Social Costs and Benefits of Distance Education" Ortner G (Ed) Socio-Economics of the Virtual University - Experience from Open and Distance Teahing Universities in Europe (A Speculation by Distance Educators). Weinheim: Deutscher Studien Verlag.

Curran C. (1998) "Technology and Universities: Context, Cost and Culture" ReCALL Vol 10 (1), May 1998

Curran C. (1998) Educación a Distancia a nivel universitario: perspectivia histórica y potencial. Madrid. UNED. 1998.

Curran C. (1997) "ODL and Traditional Universities: Dichotomy or Convergence?" European Journal of Education, Vol 32, (4)

Curran C. (1996) "Distance Teaching at University Level: Historical Perspective and Potential" Fandel G, Bartz R and Nicholmann F (Eds) University Level Distance Education in Europe Assessment and Perspectives. Weinheim: Deutscher Studien Verlag.

Curran C. (1994) "Co-operative Networks in Higher Distance Teaching: The Case of Ireland" Dahllof U and Selander S (Eds) New Universities and Regional Context. Uppsala Studies in Education. Stockholm: Almquist and Wiksell.

Curran C. (1994) "Co-operative Strategies in University Distance Teaching" deVocht C and Hendrikx P (Eds) Flexible Responses in Higher Education. Brussels: Studiecentrum Open Hoger Onderwijs.

Curran C. (1994) "Critical Cost Factors in Open and Distance Learning" Davies G and Tinsley D (Eds). Open and Distance Learning: Critical Success Factors. Erlangen: FIM.

Curran C and Wickham A. (1994) Directory of Media, Methods and Technologies in EADTU Member Institutions. Heerlen: European Association of Distance Teaching Universities.

Curran C. (1992) "Institutional Models of Distance Education - A National Co-operative Programme" Higher Education Management Journal Vol 4(1). (54-70).

Curran C. (1992) "Cost Factors in Deciding on Distance Education and Flexible Learning" Journal of Higher Education Studies Vol 5(2). (3-8).

Curran C and Saunders R. (1992) "The Use of Computer Based Systems in the Resource Management of a Developing National Distance Education Programme" Education and Computing. (1-7).

Curran C. (1990) "Economics of Media in Distance Education: Open Doors and Missing Links" le Fevre F and van Muylwikj B (Eds) Training for Competitiveness Amsterdam: Novap. (247-262).

Curran C and Wickham A. (1990) "Evaluation and Assessment Strategies for Pilot Experiments" Moller M and Shaughnessy H (Eds) Telematic Infrastructures for Flexible and Distance Learning: Electronic Universities. Brussels: Commission of the European Communities.

Curran C. (1993) "Distance Learning by Satellite in Europe: A Distance Educators View" Proceedings of Olympus Utilisation Conference. Seville: European Space Agency. (353-355).

Curran C. (1993) "Scale, Cost and Quality in Small Distance Teaching Universities" Jensen H S and Jensen S S (Eds). Proceedings of a COSTEL Workshop on the Organisation, Technology and Economics of Education. Copenhagen: COSTEL. (17-28).

Curran C. (989) "Factors Affecting the Cost of Media in Distance Education" Bates A (Ed) Media and Technology in European Distance Education. Heerlen: European Association of Distance Teaching Universities. (27-39).

Curran C. (1987) "Information Technology, Distance Education and Remote Regions" Journal of Higher Education Studies. Vol 2(3).

Curran C. (1986) "Meeting Education Needs Through Distance Learning" Journal of Higher Education Studies. Vol 1(3).

Curran C. (1985) "Course Effective Course Provision: A Pilot Project" Epistolodidaktika. Vol(2). (21-46).

Curran C. (1985) "Distance Education: A Pilot Project in Computing" International Council for Distance Education Bulletin. Vol (8). (58-63).

RECENT CONFERENCE PAPERS

(Host)

Studiecentrum. Vienna.

University of Sheffield-Hallam

Curran C. Scale, Cost and Effectiveness in University Distance Education. CSHE UC Berkeley, October 1999.

Curran C. The Dynamics of Distance Education and the Challenge for ALNs. ALN Conference, Washington, October 1999.

Curran C. Technology and Education: A Paradigm Shift? WIN Seminar, Tralee, September 1999.

Curran C. Society, Technology and the Role of Distance Teaching.. ICDE Conference, Vienna, June 1999

Curran C. Distance Education: The NDEC Approach. Austria Day - Workshop. Vienna. June 1999.

Curran C.Cost Benefits of On-line Learning for the Smaller Organisation FLISH Conference, Sheffield, May 1999.

Curran C. Cost Effective Strategies for Low Scale Distance Teaching. Presentation - World Bank. Washington.

International Conference on Asychronous Learning Networks, New York. November 1998

University of Barcelona

Norweigian Association of Distance Education.

EUCEN/RECLA

American Association of University Administrators and Trinity College:.

Curran C "Scale, Cost and Effectiveness, the Lessons of Traditional Distance Teaching". Keynote address. IVth New York University

Curran C. University Tteaching and the NewTechnology. Summer School.

Curran C. "Potential Cost Effectiveness of ODL in the Work-place" NADE The Workplace as a Learning Area, Oslo. June 1998

Curran C. Technology and Universities. EUCEN/RECLA Seminar. Turin, May 1998

1998

Curran C. "Scale and Cost in Distance Teaching". Bridges the Atlantic: Sharing Ideas and Ideals. Dublin.

Curran C. (1993) "Distance Learning by Satellite in Europe: A Distance Educators View". Seville. 1993. European Space Agency.

Curran C. "Scale, Cost and Quality in Small Distance Teaching Universities" Costel Workshop. Economics of Education. Copenhagen. 1993.