Open University of Tanzania pioneered Open and Distance Learning in E.Africa

The Open University of Tanzania (OUT) is the first university in the whole of the East Africa region to offer educational programmes through Open and Distance Learning mode.

This makes OUT peculiar from conventional residential universities. Through Open and Distance Learning (ODL), OUT allows flexible learning environment leading to protracted periods of course completion.

Though established by an act of parliament in 1992, Open University of Tanzania popularly known as OUT in Tanzania began operations in the March of 1993.

The Open University of Tanzania offers its certificate, diploma,degree and postgraduate courses through the open and distance learning system which includes various means of communication such as face-to-face, broadcasting, telecasting, correspondence, seminars, e-learning as well as a blended mode which is a combination of two or more means of communication.

OUT also operates through a network of about 30 Regional Centers; 10 Coordinating Centres, of which one is in Zanzibar and one in Pemba; two are in Kenya (Egerton and Njoro), one is in Rwanda (Kibungo), one in Namibia and one in Uganda (MTAC).

Other OUT Internal Coordination Centers are the African Council for Distance Education – Technical Collaboration Committee (ACDE TCC), the Centre for Economics and Community Economic Development (CECED) and the SADC Centre of Specialization in Teacher Education (SADC ODL CoS TE).

Open University of Tanzania also has 69 Study Centers spread throughout the United Republic of Tanzania.

Also See: Courses offered at Open University of Tanzania