We are proud to welcome Dr Mark Nichols as keynote speaker for the FLANZ 2026 Conference, taking place at Otago Polytechnic in Ōtepoti Dunedin from 7–9 October 2026.

Dr Mark Nichols is a global leader in open, distance, and innovative education, known for his contributions to the advancement of learning systems that expand availability, inclusivity, scalability, and sustainability. He currently serves as Executive Director, Learning Design & Development at the Open Polytechnic of New Zealand, where he leads education design and is an innovator in the adoption of artificial intelligence.

With more than two decades of experience across the tertiary and international education sectors, Mark has shaped policy, research, and practice in open and distance learning worldwide. He is President of the International Council for Open and Distance Education (ICDE) and a former Commonwealth of Learning Chair, roles through which he contributes to global dialogues on the future of technology-enhanced education. He is also a Principal Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (PFHEA), an EDEN Fellow, a founding member of the Aotearoa Tertiary AI Network (ATAIN), and a lifetime member of the Flexible Learning Association of New Zealand (FLANZ).

Mark’s research spans the pedagogical implications of digital innovation, organisational capability and strategy, and the ethical and strategic integration of AI in education. His published work includes contributions to international journals, books, and edited volumes that foreground openness, learner-centred design, and system-level transformation. 

Keynote Abstract

Blendagogy: designing learning opportunities

Blended learning has been part of higher education for 30 years or so. How far have we come? How can we best design blended learning experiences that are accessible, inclusive, scalable, and sustainable resulting in people-centred, engaging learning?

This keynote proposes six-factors for designing effective blended learning, based on an edited book, Blendagogy, featuring case studies from across the Aotearoa New Zealand vocational sector. The framing helps design deliberate blended solutions that work at the class, institution, and system level – while avoiding the dreaded Frankencourse and blended mixes that go against the institutional grain. 

— Dr Mark Nichols