Journal of E ducation and Human Development December 2016, Vol. 5, No. 4, pp. 202-210 ISSN: 2334-296X (Print), 2334-2978 (Online) Copyright © The Author(s). All Rights Reserved. Published by American Research Institute for Policy Development DOI: 10.15640/jehd.v5n4a19 URL: https://doi.org/10.15640/jehd.v5n4a19 Global Tendencies in Open and Distance Learning Aydın Ziya Özgür 1 & N. Gizem Koçak 2 Abstract Today, the important facts such as the globalization, the changes in population movements, the transformation into an information society, the increasing competition in economics, the changes and progresses in information and communication technologies have an ongoing impact on all fields of life, including higher education. The areas that these factors affect in higher education range from the administration of higher education institutions to institutional structuring, from the diversity of services offered to financing structure, and from R&D activities to international cooperation. In this regard, in order to eliminate deficiencies, develop strategies and policies for the future of open and distance learning, it is of particular importance to have knowledge about the different approaches, applications and experiences of the universities from different countries which provide open and distance learning services. These will also allow institutions to find new stakeholders and to develop academic studies and programs. Better understanding the different approaches and experiences of the other higher education institutions will serve as guidance and assist in the remedy of the deficiencies and solution of the problems for open and distance education institutions. This study aims to describe and analyze the global tendencies in the administration, education and R&D processes of mega universities. For this purpose, by carrying out a research project, mega universities offering open and distance learning services in 6 countries (Australia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Pakistan, South Korea, People’s Republic of China) were determined and analyzed as the sample of the study. The examined institutions reflect current tendencies in open and distance education, which are governed by the socioeconomic and socio cultural characteristics of their countries, and also offer some practices that set examples. We also compare our findings with the corresponding applications and preferences of the Anadolu University and suggest that some remarkable practices are worth to be considered as valuable perspectives. Key Words: Open and Distance Learning (ODL), e-Learning, Mega University, Open E ducation, Distance E ducation 1. Introduction In order to discuss the future of open and distance learning in the world, it is important to be aware of the global economic, demographic, sociological and technological advancements and changes. It is also necessary to follow the global tendencies related to the administration, education and R&D processes in mega universities. Besides the phenomenal effects of Internet, several other emerging technologies have also begun to change the landscape of education and particularly the open and distance education. The field of distance education is certainly at the center of dynamic growth and change (Oladejo & Gesinde, 2014: 132). Open and distance learning (OD L) provides education for all, promotes lifelong learning, and improves on the economies of scale in education management. From this point of view, the outstanding features of ODL can be summarized as flexibility, cost-effectiveness, and learner-centeredness. 1 Prof. Dr. Anadolu University, Faculty of Open E ducation, 26470 Eskişehir/Turkey. e-mail: azozgur@ anadolu.edu.tr 2 Assist. Prof. Dr. Anadolu University, Faculty of Open E ducation, 26470 Eskişehir/Turkey. e-mail: ngkocak@ anadolu.edu.tr