The Staff Professional Development Committee at the ELC hosted a 2 day webinar titled 'Closing the Gap in Distance Learning' The event which was held on 27th April and 28th April 2021, was attended by UTAS-Shinas staff and faculty from various other colleges and universities within Oman and abroad. Mr Saif Al Weshahi HOC of ELC officially welcomed everyone to the event which was moderated by SPDT members Mr Nasser Al Hindasi and Ms Razwana Khawaja.  The virtual seminar brought together experts from across the field of education, both locally and internationally. The seminar focused on the shift to remote teaching and learning to address the significant factors affecting educational achievement, integrity in online leaning and aspects of student engagement, as encountered during the challenging times of the pandemic Covid 19. Fifteen presenters participated in the prestigious 2 day online event, including plenary speakers Professor Ali Al Issa from SQU, Dr Hector Gonzalez from Spain, Mr Peter Lucantoni and Mr Mather Ellman from Cambridge University Press UK. The interactive event provided opportunities to share ideas and present solutions that could positively impact future teaching practices.  HOS Mr Hamdan Al Abri and Mr GIven Chakalisa-SPDT Co-ordinator presented the vote of thanks to all the presenters and participants before closing the event.