Kenya’s Open University to Launch in September
The Technical Working Committee in charge of creating the Open University of Kenya (OUK) has started developing academic programs to be offered when the institution starts operating in September 2023.
The team began developing modules for online courses for the first and second years of study on March 12, 2023. The process is ongoing.
During the closing workshop in Nakuru, the Committee’s Chair, Professor Ezra Maritim, advised the technical team to ensure the modules created for the university are relevant and address societal needs since the institution is intended to be accessible to learners globally through open distance learning.
He urged the team members to redouble their efforts to conclude the development of modules and forward them to the next level for review by the Commission for University Education.
The Open University of Kenya will offer eight online courses, with the first phase offering degree and diploma programs in cybersecurity and digital forensics, technology education, business and entrepreneurship, data science, economics, statistics, agriculture technology, and food systems.
The institution will also provide postgraduate diploma courses in leadership and accountability.
The government’s aim is to enhance access to affordable university education, and the Open University of Kenya aims to make higher education accessible and inclusive by enabling flexible entry criteria.
The institution aims to adopt competence-based learning, which will increase graduates’ employability opportunities.
The technical committee in charge of creating the Open University of Kenya was established on January 10, 2023, and the university is expected to be launched in May 2023.
In 2022, the President directed the education review team to recommend criteria for implementing an open university in Kenya.
Kenya’s Open University to Launch in September