TESSA teachers visit Buckingham Palace
Five African teachers have met Her Majesty the Queen to talk about how they have benefited from the Teacher Education in Sub-Saharan Africa (TESSA) project, which is led by The Open University.
UNICEF gives $4million for OU and partners to train health workers
The Open University's HEAT (Health Education and Training) programme and its partners have been awarded $4 million by UNICEF to help train 31,000 rural community health workers in Ethiopia.
Queen's Anniversary Prize honour for TESSA
Teacher Education in Sub-Saharan Africa (TESSA) has won a prestigious Queen's Anniversary Prize for world-class excellence in higher and further education.
African celebration
More than 100 guests and supporters gathered in the Africa Galleries of London's British Museum to celebrate The Open University's work in Africa.
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Africa celebration
More than 100 guests and supporters gathered in the Africa Galleries of London’s British Museum to celebrate The Open University’s work in Africa.
The event on 10 September saw the launch of an OU in Africa DVD showing how The Open University (OU) is involved in partnership projects helping train hundreds of thousands of primary teachers, doctors and health workers across sub-Saharan Africa.
Speakers at the event included the OU’s Vice-Chancellor Professor Brenda Gourley, who earlier this year was voted Outstanding Achiever in the Women in Public Life awards – in part for her work promoting education and social justice in Africa. She said that The Open University has the potential to make a real difference to the lives of even more people. “Our experience and our expertise in creating new ways of giving people access to the education they need and want, and our ability to deliver quality at scale, can help meet the vast demand that we have in Africa,” she said.
She explained that the OU teaches by a system of ‘blended learning’ which uses a mix of different media with tutor support. “This of course is particularly suited a situation where we need to reach large numbers of people. And our model of working with local partners, to provide local context and local support, is a proven success.”
Thanking all those who have so far supported the OU’s work in Africa, she said: “I think you have achieved much to be proud of. And I am quite confident that The Open University with your continued support and involvement will achieve even more in the years to come.”
The OU in Africa DVD features the work of the Teacher Education in Sub Saharan Africa (TESSA) project; the Distance Learning Medical Centre; and the Health Education and Training (HEAT) project. Danni Nti (pictured), head of the OU’s Open Africa Office, said it is part of a campaign to raise more funds for these and other projects, which are funded through donations from supporters.
Among the audience watching the screening at the British Museum was singer-songwriter Joan Armatrading, who is an Open University graduate. She said: “Education is king. In terms of Africa it is king and queen. It is not charitable work that will get Africa out of its situation, it is education.”
You can view the DVD featuring the OU’s work in Africa here.
Research & Development
From training research students to fighting malaria and TB, the Open University supports a range of research activities which are strengthening Africa’s capacity to improve the quality of life for her citizens.
Teaching & Education
Without more and better education Africa will find it increasingly difficult to benefit from the global knowledge economy. The OU in Africa's teaching and learning projects are supporting students and teachers and training a new generation of educators, using innovative and affordable new technology to build human capacity in Africa.
Projects in Africa
The Open University currently has projects in 13 African countries, from Morocco and Egypt in the north, to South Africa.