Indian Distance Education Association (IDEA) is a body which has been formed to study the organization and functioning of the professional association of Indian Distance Educators, popularly nick named as IDEA.

It is a voluntary Association established in the year 1992, strives to be a broad-based professional association / organization, consisting of members of permanent faculty of Distance Education / Open Universities / Correspondence Education / Continuing Education Institutions and those educationists and researchers interested in the growth and development of Distance Education in India and joined together towards the persuit of common interests as indicated in the bye-laws of the Association. How it started? Started in 1992 with 30 members drawn from 12 Universities at their first meeting held in Warangal has later grown into a respectable professional Association with National and International recognition and affiliations. During the last 12 years it has attracted many a individuals and organizations and has now become one of the most sought after Associations. The present paper deals with the structure and working of Indian Distance Education Association (IDEA) and narrates its features through a preliminary analysis of its activities and programmes.

Objectives of IDEA

The following are the main objectives of the Indian Distance Education Association (IDEA) and it shall endeavour to achieve the same by undertaking various activities :

• To provide a forum for interaction amongst individuals, institutions and organizations engaged in teaching, research or other programmes related to Distance Education.

• To represent and undertake various activities promoting the interests leading to the growth and development of Distance Education Institutions in India.

• To provide documentation, bibliographic and other services.

• To disseminate needed information to all agencies engaged in teaching, research and other educational development programmes.

• To organize periodic conference, seminars, workshops, meeting etc. and undertake all those activities, which will help strengthen Distance Education Systems in India.

• To mobilize necessary services and resources with a view to strengthen and assist scholars working for the growth and development of Distance Education in India.

• To publish Reports, Documents, Newsletters, Journal and other Literature, establish and organize libraries, documentation, reference centres to serve the teachers, researchers and other members drawn from Distance Education Institutions.

• To develop a network for collection of information relating to teaching, research and other development activities related to the Distance Education.

• To workout details relating to Inter-University collaboration; media between Government and Non-Governmental Organizations, Funding Agencies, Research Organizations etc., while undertaking various programmes mutually concerned for protecting the interest of Distance Education.

• To work in collaboration with other like-minded organizations / Distance Education Associations at National and International levels and initiate joint action projects mutually helpful to all individual members in particular and participant - member countries in general.

Further Information: For further information about IDEA and its conferences follow the link below. http://www.idea-india.org ^*