Gaborone, Botswana – September 2025 – The Commonwealth of Learning (COL) has conferred the title of Honorary Fellow on Professor Ioana Chan Mow of Samoa, recognising her exceptional contributions to technology-enabled learning and inclusive education across the Pacific.
Professor Chan Mow was honoured alongside four other distinguished leaders at the Eleventh Pan-Commonwealth Forum on Open Learning (PCF11), COL’s flagship conference on open, distance and flexible learning. This year’s Fellows include:
- Dr Evelyn Nonyongo (South Africa) – for five decades of pioneering work expanding access and equity in Southern Africa.
- Professor Ioana Chan Mow (Samoa) – for advancing technology-enabled learning and inclusive education across the Pacific.
- Senator the Honourable Professor Prakash Persad (Trinidad and Tobago) – for leadership in academia, policy and AI-driven innovation.
- Professor Mark Brown (New Zealand) – for global contributions to online, blended and digital education.
- Honourable Dr Kaviraj Sharma Sukon (Mauritius) – for transformative leadership in higher education and policy innovation, and present at #PCF11BW to receive the award in person.
With more than 40 years of experience in teaching, research and educational leadership, Professor Chan Mow has made significant contributions in online learning, ICT policy, disaster response technologies and STEM education. She has played a pivotal role in initiatives such as the Samoa Knowledge Society Initiative, COL’s Technology-Enabled Learning project, and the Skills for Work programme, while also serving as Samoa’s focal point for COL.
COL noted that the impact of the 2025 Fellows “resonates across the Commonwealth, shaping education systems to be more inclusive, innovative and resilient.”
For more on PCF11 and the Honorary Fellows, visit pcf11.org.
Read the full story in the Samoa Observer: Prof. Chan Mow gets top Commonwealth honour.
Photo: Supplied / Samoa Observer