CQUniversity's Learning and Teaching Education Research Centre (LTERC) recently hosted a group of South American academics as part of the Southern Skies Distance Education Academic Exchange project.

This exchange project is focusing on building relationships in Australia around the theme of distance education and will deliver an important transfer of skills and sharing of experience, showcasing both Australian and Latin American distance education expertise.

The Centre became involved in the visit through its partnership within Australia's DeHub Research Consortium, a group of universities interested in the innovation of distance learning (University of New England, Charles Sturt University, University of Southern Queensland and CQUniversity).

LTERC was launched last year to identify and celebrate the 'underpinning' research required to drive and enhance teaching and learning at CQUniversity.

LTERC Director, Associate Professor Bobby Harreveld (left) welcomes the visitorsThe PHOTO includes (left to right):

Bobby Harreveld, CQUniversity;

Professor Marta Mena - ICDE Latin America Network and University of Morón, Argentina;

Dr Fredy-Roberto Valenzuela, Senior Lecturer, Uni of New England;

Professor Fredric Litto - President of the Brazilian Association for Distance Education, Executive Committee IDCE and formerly University of São Paulo, Brazil;

Ines Litto, Sao Paolo, Brazil;
 
Dr Stavros P. Xanthopoylos - Executive Director of the Online and Distance Education Centre at Fundação Getúlio Vargas, Brazil;

Associate Professor Sara Perez - National University of Quilmes, Argentina; and 
 
Dr Carina Bossu, DEHub Research Fellow, UNE.