Kenya’s First Virtual University Receives Green Light from MPs

Kenyan MPs have approved the establishment of a virtual university, paving the way for the admission of the first cohort of 7,100 distance e-learners in September.

The Parliament, last week, endorsed the proposed charter for the Open University of Kenya (OUK), with the aim of providing affordable, accessible, inclusive, and attainable higher education in the country.

Located at the Konza Technopolis in Machakos, OUK will offer eight online courses in its initial phase. These include degrees and diplomas in cyber security and digital forensics, technology education, business and entrepreneurship, data science, economics, statistics, agriculture technology, and food systems. Additionally, postgraduate diploma courses in leadership and management, as well as learning design and technology, will be offered.

In addition to specialized courses, students at OUK will be required to complete core courses covering topics such as climate change and sustainability, global citizenship, ethics and social cohesion, philosophy, psychology, and basic research.

The Technical Committee on the establishment of OUK has proposed a fee structure ranging between $73.73 and $77.28 per module for students depending on the course. A full-time student is expected to take four to six modules.

Admission to the OUK will be based on prior learning, which can also be demonstrated through two years of workplace training, two years of relevant work experience, or the completion of short courses in the relevant field.