Over the years, the countries of Micronesia have made a variety of attempts to develop distance education. The University of Guam, which is the only university in Micronesia, has been at the center of these efforts. Recently, as countries in the region have ceased being trust territories and achieved full independence, they have started to establish their own institutions of higher learning.
This project organized seminars and other events in order to shape policies for regional cooperation in connection with an intraregional distance education system utilizing appropriate telecommunications technology and to boost skills in this area. Approximately 20 people, including members of the Pacific Post-Secondary Education Council and people connected with Pacific Resources for Education and Learning, took part in the project's Regional Policy Forum, which was held Aug. 1-3, at the University of Guam. The participants clarified the current status of distance education and confirmed the needs in this area. They also agreed to move toward a regional mechanism for cooperation among relevant parties and established a platform for a system of cooperation with support organizations. In this way, the forum kept open the possibility of continued efforts to develop distance education and telemedicine in the region.