NOUN to boost study centres, digital infrastructure—VC

The National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN) is set to strengthen its academic delivery with renewed investments in study centres, digital infrastructure and the integrity of its e-examination system.

Uduma Uduma, the new vice-chancellor at NOUN made this known on Wednesday, as he assumes office in Abuja, stressing it is part of the broader efforts to enhance student experience, improve access to quality learning and reinforce public confidence in the university’s assessment processes.

“The priority areas we will pay attention to include strengthening of study centres, enhancing learner support systems, improving ICT and digital infrastructure, ensuring the integrity of e-examinations, promoting staff welfare, and sustaining quality assurance and accreditation standards,” he said.

Across the globe, virtual examination is becoming an integral part of improving the educational experience in open and distance learning institutions, however, glitches and other digital infrastructural gaps tends to hamper this mode of examination.

As demand for flexible and technology-driven education grows, the NOUN is positioning itself to deliver more secure, efficient and accessible services nationwide.

As the digital landscape evolves, so the opportunities and challenges associated with e-learning. The rapid proliferation of digital devices, the increasing accessibility of the internet, and the changing dynamics of the 21st-century learner have necessitated a fresh approach to how educational content is delivered and consumed.

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Recognising this, the new vice-chancellor has outlined plans to build a robust and state-of-the-art learning infrastructure, aiming to provide a seamless, interactive, and enriched online learning experience to its students.

The vice-chancellor reaffirmed the National Open University of Nigeria’s mandate, emphasising that the university’s core mission of democratising access to quality higher education and removing barriers of geography, age, employment status, gender and circumstance.

He recalled his time as the director of the Abakaliki study centre of the university, saying he is now the first NOUN vice-chancellor with a prior study centre experience, underlining his commitment to improving the centres under his administration.

Uduma noted a growing influx of young learners into the Open and Distance Learning (ODL) system, which he said is an evolution of NOUN’s mandate rather than a departure from it.

He applauded Olufemi Peters, the outgoing vice-chancellor of NOUN for his efforts in visiting different directorates, units and study centres during his waiting period, which, he said, has prepared him to hit the ground running.