NOUN to extend services to African countries

…Partners UK ODL on resource exchange

From: Fred Ezeh, Abuja

The National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN) is close to unveiling its Open and Distance Learning (ODL) services to West Africa countries, starting with Niger Republic.

NOUN Director, media and publicity, Ibrahim Sheme, in a statement, on Wednesday, indicated that NOUN management recently had a robust discussion with the Nigerien government officials and they both agreed to establish study centers in Niger Republic.

NOUN Vice Chancellor, Prof. Abdalla Uba Adamu, in the statement, disclosed that plans were also underway to extend the scheme to Benin Republic, Togo, Cote d’Ivoire and Burkina Faso, with the possibility of registering its presence in other West African countries.

Meanwhile, NOUN has also struck a mutually-beneficial deal with Open University of United Kingdom. This, it said, would enable both institutions exchange ideas, knowledge, expertise and resource materials that would improve their academic research and development.

The NOUN VC informed Craig Walker, who led other officials of UK ODL to NOUN headquarters, in Abuja, that NOUN was modeled after the Open University of the UK, operating with best practices of the ODL system in  Africa.

He added that aside South Africa, other ODLs in East, Central and West Africa rely on NOUN for guidance and supply of study materials, centres, examination administration and students enrolment.”

He, however, assured the visiting UK officials that NOUN management would provide whatever infrastructural facility and other logistics needed for relationship to be beneficial to all.