Professor David Hawkridge, Visiting Professor (University of Leicester) and Emeritus Professor of Applied Educational Sciences (The Open University), was recently honoured by the Association for Learning Technology (ALT) at its annual conference in Manchester (8-10 September 2009) with the award of an Honorary Life Membership.

The Association for Learning Technology (ALT) is a leading UK professional and scholarly association that brings together practitioners, researchers, and policy makers in learning technology. ALT was formed in 1993 and, through its activities and its annual conference ALT-C, facilitates collaboration between practitioners, researchers, and policy makers, spreading good practice in the use of learning technology and raising the profile of research in learning technology

Seb Schmoller, Chief Executive of ALT, said: ‘ALT awards Honorary Life Membership only occasionally, and only to individuals who have made an outstanding and sustained contribution to the advancement of ALT's aims for the development of learning technology in a national or international context through research, practice, policy-development, leadership, or a combination of these. During his long career at the Open University, and subsequently, David's contribution has comprehensively spanned all four areas, both nationally and internationally.’

Head of Beyond Distance Gilly Salmon said: 'David has made an exceptional and sustained contribution to the advancement and development of learning technology and its applications in education by means of his high-profile research and practice, his contributions to policy-development and by providing outstanding leadership at the institutions that he has served. I sincerely hope that he continues to enrich the research, policy-development and academic-leadership skills of future generations of scholars and practitioners in our discipline.'

Lecturer in e-Learning in Beyond Distance Dr Palitha Edirisingha said: ‘Though it has been several years since he was my PhD supervisor, David continues to be a mentor and inspiration to me, personally, and to numerous other colleagues at the Open University (UK), the University of Leicester and at other institutions around the world.'