African Virtual University (AVU)

From TrustAfrica wiki - African Regional Organizations

African Virtual University
71 Maalim Juma Road, Kilimani
P. O. Box 25405 - 00603
Nairobi, Kenya

Tel: +254 20 2712056
Fax: +254 20 2712071

Web site: http://www.avu.org

Dr. Bakary Diallo Manager, Academic Programs and Acting Rector

Description

African Virtual University (AVU) is part of network of tertiary institutions and educational providers with its headquarters in Nairobi, Kenya, and a regional office in Dakar, Senegal. Launched in 1997 as a World Bank project, the University was incorporated in Kenya in 2000 and registered as a Non-Governmental Organization. The AVU now operates in fifty-three tertiary institutions located in twenty-seven countries in Arabic, Anglophone, Francophone and Lusophone Africa as a not-for-profit Inter-Governmental Organization (IGO). AUF’s mandate is to create an alternative learning experience by using a wide range of technologies from print to ICTs, which will enable African tertiary institutions to significantly increase equitable access to quality, relevant, affordable, cost effective and flexible tertiary education and training. Its mission is to facilitate increased access to tertiary education in Africa through Open, Distance and e-Learning (ODeL). Spefically, its objectives are:

• To deliver externally provided programs with improved efficiency and effectiveness
  
• To enhance the capacity of partner institutions to develop, deliver and manage their own ODeL programs
  
• To provide resources to support increased access to education
  
• To improve the AVU’s image, linkages and stakeholder relationships
  
• To strengthen institutional capacity
  
• To ensure full implementation of its programmes

The institution achieves its objectives through the following main areas of focus: building capacity for e-learning in Africa; establishing a network of learning centres in African universities; building expertise in curriculum design and development for online study; adaptation of external degree/diploma programs; mainstreaming gender issues into AVU programs and concomitantly into African universities and providing access to digital library resources. The AVU runs eight key initiatives covering teacher education, provision of bandwidth, capacity enhancement, academic programs, the digital library services and short, professional and continuing education courses.

The Partnership for Higher Education in Africa (PHEA)—an alliance between the Carnegie Corporation of New York, the Ford Foundation, the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, the Rockefeller Foundation, the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation and the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation—has channeled funding through the AVU to achieve cost efficiencies and demand for Internet bandwidth and connectivity services by leveraging economies of scale. Other donors include e-Degree, Microsoft, Bill & Belinda Gates Foundation, Alan and Nesta Ferguson Charitable Trust, as well as the World Bank, DfID, CIDA, AUSAID, AfDB, UNDP and many others.

Track Record

To date, over 57 AVU Learning Centers have been established in tertiary institutions in about 27 African countries. From an institutional standpoint, AVU´s capacities stem from the existence of this dynamic network of institutions. Technically, the university has its own satellite uplink station and has provided part of it as a turnkey solution for improved Internet access at African institutions in its network. The installed base of computers on the AVU network is in excess of 2000 computers all with access to the AVU learning management platform that has the capability to process 5000 students attending classes simultaneously.

The other main outcomes were: the affiliation to a global network of leading universities; about 23,000 students were enrolled in semester-long courses; close to 2,500 professionals were enrolled in executive business seminars; close to 45,000 e-mail accounts were created and a digital library including about 1,000 journals was established together with a web site with over an average of 1 million hits (number of times accessed) per month.

It is contributing to the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) through an e-learning compliant teacher education initiative in ten Sub Saharan African countries that aims at enhancing teachers capacity in the use of ICTs. This is done by completing the Policy and Curriculum Conceptualization and the Curriculum design and Teacher Education Baseline Survey. Besides, the bandwidth consortium has set a benchmark for fair pricing for connectivity on the continent and most importantly provided affordable and quality access to educational and research institutions in Africa.

Challenges and Opportunities

AVU has recently suffered severe funding crisis, and some of its programs have had to be closed or shifted to other institutions. It’s major challenge has been delivery on its ambitious programs as many of its partners have little or no prior experience or capacity to effectively use appropriate methodologies and technologies to expand access to their programs. The leadership crisis within AVU has been echoed by some of its personnel and close associates as one of the constraints contributing to the challenge of delivery.

Regardless of the increasing recognition of e-learning, lack of employer recognition of international qualifications awarded to graduates from AVU brokered programs exists. In enhancing the capacity of partner institutions to develop, deliver and manage their own Open, Distance and e-Learning programs, the adoption of the various methodologies particularly open distance e-learning seems to face constraints. This is exacerbated through the lack of technical infrastructure and policy environment at country levels to support its program development, delivery and management.

AVU is, however, the kind of institution that would have had to be created if it didn’t exist, and its classical donors have an opportunity to work with its leadership and stakeholders to set it back on a course of sustainability.