Dr. B. R. Ambedkar Open University (BRAOU) and Commonwealth of Learning (CoL), Vancouver, Canada, the only intergovernmental organisation concerned with the promotion and development of distance education and open learning, has entered a partnership agreement to strengthen collaboration in digital education, Artificial Intelligence, faculty development and technology-enabled learning.

BRAOU Vice-Chancellor Ghanta Chakrapani said the development is a transformative initiative for BRAOU. “This collaboration brings cutting-edge global expertise, advanced digital technologies, Artificial Intelligence and international best practices to BRAOU. It will significantly accelerate our journey towards becoming a globally recognised AI-enabled digital university,” he said.

The agreement also provides for the joint development of Open Educational Resources, scholarly publications, research studies, international mentorship programmes, expert consultations, peer-learning networks and joint expert teams to oversee the implementation of each work stream through structured joint contribution agreements.

According to President and CEO (CoL) Peter Scott, who lauded the university’s initiatives in building a comprehensive digital ecosystem, the agreement would further strengthen BRAOU’s capacity to become an international model for AI-enabled Open, Distance, and Digital Learning centre. And this would contribute significantly to expanding quality higher education across India and the Commonwealth.

The Partnership Agreement was signed in Vancouver, Canada on Thursday (July 30), and operationalises the Memorandum of Understanding signed between BRAOU and the CoL on November 18, 2025, in Hyderabad in the presence of Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy.

While the MoU laid the broad framework for collaboration, the current agreement provides a roadmap with defined work streams, institutional mechanisms and measurable outcomes. The CoL will collaborate to strengthen BRAOUs digital learning ecosystem by enhancing technology infrastructure, faculty capacity, digital pedagogy and learner support systems. It will also advance AI-enabled teaching, collaborative research, multilingual AI applications and innovation to improve access, quality and inclusive education through technology-driven solutions.