Since its establishment in August 2023, the Open University of Kenya (OUK) has garnered significant interest, with over 2,500 students expressing their desire to enroll. Out of this pool, 2,100 students have successfully met the qualifications and gained admission to various degree programs.
Functioning as a virtual university, OUK utilizes the Moodle Learning Management System (LMS), enabling students to access high-quality interactive courseware at their own convenience. While the primary mode is online, the university also incorporates a few synchronous lectures and tutorials offered at flexible time slots.
The institution’s primary goal is to address the challenge of limited capacity in traditional universities by adopting innovative teaching and learning methods, including online and distance education. Through technology and flexible learning modes, OUK aims to accommodate a larger number of qualified students, allowing them to pursue higher education without the constraints of physical presence and limited campus capacities.
This approach aligns with global trends in higher education that acknowledge the transformative potential of open and distance learning. The establishment of OUK further seeks to enhance access to university education, particularly for those who may have missed earlier opportunities or faced barriers such as formal grades, age, financial constraints, gender, or geographical location.
The Commission for University Education (CUE) has accredited seven flagship programs for the current academic year, including five undergraduate degrees and two postgraduate diploma programs. These programs cover diverse fields such as Data Science, Cyber Security, Digital Forensics, Technology Education, Business, Entrepreneurship, Economics, Statistics, Leadership and Accountability, as well as Learning Design and Technology.
The duration of bachelor’s programs is four years, while postgraduate programs require one year. To support students financially, they are eligible for funding from both the Universities Fund (UF) and the Higher Education Loans Board (HELB).
