Open University of Malaysia has 65,000 students.

An alternative route to learning for workers
Open and distance learning is a way of providing tertiary and lifelong education to working people and boosting national skills

M alaysia has far more universities today than it had in the past, but for many people full time attendance is not an option. Open and distance learning is an alternative means of providing them with quality tertiary and lifelong education.

Appropriately, the motto of the Open University of Malaysia (OUM) is “University for All.” Professor Anuwar Ali, its President and Vice-Chancellor, says its objective is to provide higher education to as many people as possible so that they can obtain it anywhere and at any time.
In just six years, student enrolment has risen to 65,000 from the 750 students of its first student intake in 2001. “This clearly shows that people want higher education to improve themselves and their careers,” says Prof. Anuwar.

Established in 2000, OUM is owned by a consortium of 11 public universities, and operates as a private institution. Although it has only about 75 full-time academic staff, it also uses the services of approximately 5,000 tutors attached to the universities in the consortium.

No subsidies are provided by the government but OUM ensures that its courses are affordable to as many students as possible. Its blended learning approach is designed to ensure maximum flexibility in the learning process. In addition to printed learning material, students have access to an e-learning platform. Face-to-face tutorials are held at weekends and there are 61 learning centres all over the country, some housed at other universities or teachers’ colleges.

“Accessibility is very important for us,” says Prof. Anuwar. “ We have invested a lot of money in information and communication technology to ensure it. We also have a good digital library which is accessible to all our students everywhere.”

Professor Anuwar Ali President and Vice-Chancellor of Open University Malaysia	Tan Sri dato’ Emeritus Prof. G. Dhanarajan Vice-Chancellor and CEO of Wawasan Open University

Many of the students OUM attracts are school teachers, military personnel and civil servants. “We believe that within the next few years, if we continue at this rate, we can have more than 100,000 students in the near future,” says the President and Vice-Chancellor.

OUM offers academic programmes that cater for the demands of industry and the marketplace. Its strengths span a range of disciplines from IT and engineering to the arts and social sciences.

Facilities are being upgraded and new learning centres are being opened across the country. There are plans to introduce more programmes, and the university is promoting its brand internationally as well as locally.

“We will also strive to increase the intake of international students in an effort to realise the country’s vision of becoming a regional centre of educational excellence,” Prof. Anuwar says.

The same commitment to accessible, flexible and affordable learning exists at Wawasan Open University. WOU is a private institution established by the Wawasan Education Foundation, which was established by Parti Gerakan Rakyat Malaysia, the second-largest Chinese-based political party in the country.

WOU opened its doors to its first 720 students last year with an initial offering of 11 undergraduate degree programmes under three faculties – science and technology, business administration and foundation studies. Courses include degrees in information systems, computing science and artificial intelligence, business information systems, accounting, and sales and marketing.

	Wawasan Open University’s new main campus

Vice-Chancellor and CEO Tan Sri Dato’ Emeritus Professor Gajaraj Dhanarajan says WOU was founded to contribute to the development of Malaysia’s human capital. “Nine million Malaysian workers need to be trained,” he says. “This education needs to be accessible to them wherever they are and at a cost they can afford.” Moreover, the curriculum needs to be relevant to the work place. “Our programmes are all university level programmes with a vocational flavour.”

Professor Dhanarajan describes WOU as “exactly the opposite of a traditional learning environment”. The important thing, he says, is to take education to the consumer.

“Workers can and should get their knowledge wherever they are. If they do not have immediate access to the technology, it does not matter. We will find creative ways of getting that technology to them. Our learner can be a farmer in a remote area and she can still study.”

Construction work costing RM25 million (£3.9 million) has recently been completed at WOU’s main campus, which now has a new 12-storey extension. The university already has study centres in five Malaysian states and aims to be present in every state within a decade.

By the end of 2008, it aims to be offering 70 courses. It will also be starting graduate studies this year in a bid to develop a strong research arm that can attract project funding.