The Swiss philosopher Alain de Botton suggests in The Pleasures and Sorrows of Work that however powerful our technology and complex our organisations are, the most remarkable feature of the modern working world might be one simple spiritual quality: the widely held belief that our work should make us happy. In short, our societal progress lies in an expectation that our jobs are fulfilling and not soul-destroying.
We should be, therefore, feeling very lucky and proud as our academic and professional field of practice is both so personally rewarding and meaningful to our communities. In this special and significant season, it’s important to take a moment to reflect on how much open, distance and digital education is contributing to positively transforming the world.
Let me wish you all and your loved ones a happy holiday season and a wonderful New Year of 2016, full of achievements!
A Technology-enhanced Christmas tree in Lisbon (2012). Photo by Camara Municipal de Lisboa
