Newsflash May 2014

7/27/2019 Newsflash May 2014

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News Flash

Adelegation rom Linnaeus University in Swedenvisited the Open University o anzania on a actfinding mission aiming to establish collaboration betweenthe two institutions.

Te delegation was led by the Universitys Rector, ProessorStephen Hwang, who is also the ounding Vice Chancelloro the University and a Proessor o Physics. Others in thedelegation were a Proessor o Environmental Chemistry,a Senior Lecturer o Social Work, a Lecturer o SocialSciences, the Universitys Chie Communication Officer,the Library Director and two leaders o the Students Union.

During their visit, which was on Friday May 16th, thedelegation met with the OU Management and held briediscussions on possible areas o collaboration. Prior tothe discussions, the DVC-Academic Proessor Bisandaand the delegations leader, Proessor Hwang, gave briepresentations on profiles o their respective Universities.

Proessor Hwang explained that Linnaeus University wasestablished in 2010 when the University o Kalmar andVxj University merged. It is thereore one o newesthigher education institutions in their country. However,with approximately 31,000 enrolled students and 2,000staff, it is also one o the largest in the country.

He urther explained that the University has six Facultieswith 150 degree programmes, including 30 PhDprogrammes and 2,000 single-subject courses taught inEnglish.

Te Open University of anzania

Te Rector o Linnaeus University, Proessor StephenHwang, stressing a point during the meeting. On his lef isthe DVC-Academic Proessor Elias Bisanda

Delegationrom LinnaeusUniversity,

Sweden visitsOU

In terms o research, Proessor Hwang explained that theycover the humanities, social sciences, natural sciences andengineering. Teir research groups represent a number owell-established domains such as labour market policy,

welare issues, entrepreneurship, lie sciences, aquaticecology, as well as timber and energy technology. Teirvision is to balance the traditional academic values andbenefit to society.

Te discussed possible areas o collaboration includestaff and students exchange programmes, organization osummer schools, resources sharing such as IC acilitiesand research.

Proessor Hwang then presented a token o a brain glass

model to Proessor Bisanda. In concluding the meeting,Proessor Bisanda invited the delegates to start the processor signing a Memorandum o Understanding between thetwo institutions. He then wished them a sae journey backhome.

Proessor Hwang presenting a token to Proessor Bisanda


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OUT participates in the 9thTCU Exhibitions

he Open University o anzania has participated inthe 9th Exhibitions o the anzania Commission orUniversities (CU) held rom 21st to 23rd May at theDiamond Jubilee Hall in Dar es Salaam.

Te exhibitions are organized annually by CU incollaboration with the Ministry o Education andVocational raining, Higher Education Institutions as wellas Regulatory, Proessional and Research Bodies in andoutside anzania.

Tis years exhibitions theme was Leveraging NationalDevelopment through Higher Education, Science,echnology and Innovation. Te exhibitions wereofficially opened by Hon. Makame Mnyaa Mbarawa (MP),Minister o Communication, Science and echnology andwere attended by Government Officials, Members o theDiplomatic Corps and Vice Chancellors and Principals oUniversities and University Colleges.

According to the Chairperson o the OrganizingCommittee, Dr. Naomi Katunzi, 105 institutionsparticipated in this years exhibitions, o which 77 werelocal institutions and the rest came rom outside anzania,including Kenya, Uganda, Zimbabwe, South Arica,Dubai, India, Malaysia, China, UK and USA.

Te exhibitions were a unique opportunity or the

participating institutions to showcase their activities andpublicize their unctions to the general public, as well asestablishing linkages and collaboration amongst them.Higher learning institutions were also expected to interactwith the prospective applicants or admission into highereducation or the academic year 2014/15.

Te OU activities were showcased in our boothsorganized as Undergraduate Studies, Postgraduate Studies,Research and Consultancy and IC and Support Services.

Exhibitors setting up the OU booths ready or

exhibitions, Wednesday 21st May

Exhibitors explaining OU programmes to the visiting public, Tursday 22nd May

Exhibitors displayed brochures o various academicprogrammes, banners, OU journals, books and posterssummarizing various research projects.

At the IC and Support Services booth, a roll-up banner wasdisplaying various OU sofware including the Academic

Register Management Inormation System, the electronicfile management system, and other sofware innovatedby OU staff. A projector was seen displaying the OUwebsite and the various online library resources. Aspiringapplicants to various undergraduate degree programmeswere introduced to the new OU online application system.

Te exhibitions were officially closed by the Ministeror Education and Vocational raining Hon. ShukuruKawambwa (MP)


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CC Tanzania Volunteers trained in Web 2.0 awarded certificates

Volunteers o Creative Commons anzania that werepreviously trained in Web 2.0 technologies have beenawarded their certificates o participation.

CC is a non or profit organization that works to increasethe amount o creativity (cultural, educational and

scientific content) in the commons that is the body owork available to the public or ree. In anzania, CC ishosted at the OU.

Creative Common anzania in collaboration with theOpen University o anzania had trained about 30volunteers in Web 2.0 technologies in March this year.Te aim was to enable the CC members to collaboratein creating, sharing and publishing inormation usingsimple, open source internet-based applications.

Te certificate awarding ceremony was held on TursdayMay 22nd at the OU Council Chamber, where theVice Chancellor Proessor olly Mbwette presented thecertificates. wo training acilitators, Mr. AbdulaziziMnyengema and Mr. Emmanuel Tomas, both o theInstitute o Educational and Management echnologies(IEM), were also awarded certificates o recognition. Teceremony was attended by the Founder o CC anzaniaand Public Lead, Dr. Paulo Kihwelo, Faculty Deans,Directors and Heads o Units.

Giving his remarks during the event, Dr. Kihwelohighlighted the development that has taken place eversince CC anzania was initiated in 2006. He inormedthe audience that the first event was the official launchingo CC anzania in September last year, ollowed by the

celebrations o the ourth anniversary o its activities in thecountry in December last year.

He urther explained that CC anzania set its strategic planearly this year and came out with a roadmap consisting othree priority areas. Te first one is community outreach,

the second is the school o open and the third is engagingthe Government in open policy issues. Tese will beoverseen with the assistance o OU.

Regarding uture expectations, Dr. Kihwelo explainedthat CC anzania intends to participate in the ZanzibarFilm Festival as well as the Sauti za Busara Festival. CCanzania has already established collaborations with anumber o organizations so as to continue advocating theneed or ree sharing o inormation.

Te Vice Chancellor Proessor Mbwette in his remarksencouraged CC members to keep up the good spirito sharing. He called upon the IEM to work with thevolunteers so as to make a difference in the country usingIC as a key.

He was pleased to note that CC anzania has alreadyestablished its roadmap that identifies the priority areas,commended them or this effort and promised continuousOU support.

At the end o the unction, the CC Coordinator, Ms. UmmyAhmad, gave a vote o thanks, specifically appreciatingthe involvement o the OU Management in activities oCC anzania. Finally the participants joined together in acocktail to wind up the evening.

CC anzania Members pausing with their certificates with the VC Proessor olly Mbwette and the DVC-Academic

Proessor Elias Bisanda


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One OU staff was among two anzanians whoparticipated in an e-learning training at the MalawiCollege o Distance Education in Blantyre.

Mrs. Adolphina Massaba o abora Regional Centre

OU staff participates in e-Learning training at the MCDE

Mrs Adolphina Massaba and the other two participantsrom anzania during the training

together with Mr. Baraka Kionyaki and Mr. FelicianBundala both rom the Institute o Adult Education, joinedparticipants rom other SADC countries in the trainingthat took place rom 28th April to 2nd May.

In her brie report to the OU Management, Mrs. Massabahighlighted some o the topics that were taught, whichincluded the designing o e-learning courses or secondaryeducation, among others. She promised to put theacquired knowledge in practice, especially in promotingODL to secondary education in anzania.

Early this year OU signed a Memorandum oUnderstanding with MCDE in which the areas ocollaboration include delivery o ODL programmes,learners support, materials development, and capacitybuilding on IC application in education and management.

eam o OU Officials visits seven Regional CentresA team o five OU Officials that included the EstatesManager, Eng. Saidi Juma, the Director o Planning andDevelopment, Dr. Paul Ikwaba, the Director o the Instituteo Educational and Management echnologies (IEM), Dr.Edephonce Nuka, the IEM Regional Centre Coordinator,Ms. Stella Shayo and the IEM Computer echnician andDriver, Mr. J.D. Josh, visited seven Regional Centres, mostly

at the Lake Zone, to evaluate progress o rehabilitationworks, identiy rehabilitation needs and assess the status oIC inrastructure.

Te visited centres were Dodoma, Singida, Shinyanga,Mwanza, Mara, Geita and Kagera.

Te Open University o anzania began major rehabilitationin Shinyanga and Mara region centres towards the endo November 2013. Rehabilitation work or Shinyanga

Regional Centre was reported to be complete while thato Mara was in its last stage. Tereore, the team, amongother things, made a final inspection o the rehabilitatedbuildings in Shinyanga and in Mara regional centers.

In some o the centres the Estate Manager and theDPD, who are also members o the OU ender Board,

participated in the opening o quotations or the supply obuilding materials and labour charges, ready or urtherrehabilitation activities.

At the Geita centre, the team was shown a house that hasbeen earmarked as potential permanent premises o theOU centre, probably in the near uture.

Te team has submitted detailed reports o the visit to the

OU Management.

4A team o visiting staff rom OU HQs in a group photowith staff o Singida Regional Centre, 12th May 2014

Kagera Regional Centre, 26th May 2014


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OUT student crowned Miss University Mwanza

M

iss Fatuma Kassim, OU

student in NA Level 5 at

the Mwanza Regional Centre was

crowned Miss University in the

region in early May.

Te pageant involved students rom

different Universities and Colleges

such as SAU, IFM, CBE, IA,

OU and others in Mwanza Region.

Four OU students participatedin the pageant. We hope that

Miss Kassim will be our good

ambassador in her endeavours.

Miss Fatuma Kassim being crownedMiss University

Mwanza,2014


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Another round o the Basic IC Skills raining

or Secondary School eachers that was jointlyorganised by the Open University o anzania andthe Arican Virtual University has been successullyconducted at the Mbeya Regional Centre.

Te training sessions commenced on Monday the17th o March and included 16 participants romMbeya and Njombe.

Tis was the fifh round o the training that was

officially launched in January by Hon. KassimMajaliwa (MP), Minister at the Prime MinistersOffice. Other regions where the training has alreadybeen conducted are Dar es Salaam, Shinyanga,Mwanza and Singida.

Te closing ceremony was witnessed by the, Acting

City Council Director and the City Education Officer,Ms. Lydia Herbert, the Regional Education Officer(Academic), Mr. Juma ukosa and the Director oMbeya Regional Centre, Mr. erentius Rugumisa,among other invited guest.

Speaking during the ceremony, the Vice ChancellorProessor olly Mbwette who was the guest ohonour inormed the audience that OU is proudlydevoted in contributing to IC capacity building at

all levels in anzania and particularly in exploitingits extensive Inormation and Communicationechnology (IC) inrastructure and services.

Te Institute o Continuing Education (ICE) onFriday the 14th o March bade arewell to MzeePhilip Komba afer officially ending his workcontract at OU.

Mzee Komba started to work at OU in 1998 oncontractual basis afer his official retirement romthe Ministry o Education where he had workedor almost his entire employment period. Prior tohis engagement with the OU, Mzee Komba alsoworked as a Headmaster in various Secondary

Mzee Philip Komba and his wie Mrs. Komba talking to the ICE staff (not in the picture) during the arewellparty

OU-AVU IC raining or Secondary Schooleachers closed in Mbeya

Schools, including St Anthony in Mbagala, St.Matthew and Vosa.

At the ICE, he was one o the ounding memberstogether with the late Dr. Daudi Kinshaga. Forseveral years he held the positions o the institutesExamination Officer and the Coordinator o theCommonwealth Youth Programme (CYP).

Although he was affectionately teased as BBC(Born Beore Computers) by junior staff, he was


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Group photo during the closing o the OU-AVU IC training in Mbeya Regional Centre. Seated in the centreis the VC, Proessor olly Mbwette. Others are; rom lef, the raining Coordinator Mr. Ben Bussu, the Re-gional Education Officer (Academic) Mr. Juma ukosa , the Acting City Council Director Ms. Lydia Herbertand the Mbeya DRC Mr. erentius Rugumisa. Standing are the course participants, acilitators and OUStaff

A new design in the AcademicRegister Management InormationSystem will now make it possibleor automatic deletion o repeatcases in students examinationsrecords. Tis has been reported byDr. Lawi Yohana, the Director oExamination Syndicate (DES).

Dr. Lawi explained that thisdevelopment will allow new marksto be uploaded in the systemwithout interruption. Tis willenable students to register therepeated subjects online as newcourses, and thus significantlyreduce their queries.

Repeating a subject involves re-doing the continuous assessment

and the annual examination.Previously, when students ailed toattain pass-marks afer sitting orsupplementary examinations theyhad to send requests to DES or thedeletion so as to enable them re-

register or the course.

Students should however note thatthe highest grade attainable aferrepeating a course remains to beC as per University ExaminationsRegulations No. 1.5 Dr. Lawiclarified.

Dr. Lawi urther reminded studentsto complete their registrations orthe June 2014 examinations beorethe 5th o May. He advised themto register early so as to avoid lastminutes registration, cautioningthat this may cause congestionin the network due to the systemailure to handle a large numbero students at a time, resulting insome o them ailing to register or

the exams.

In another development, OU isexpecting to conduct examinationsin two exams centers or theupcoming June examinations in

Mafinga and Mbulu.

Regarding the ended examinationsession, DES was pleased to notethat the panel marking exercise wassuccessully done in the first twoweeks o March and provisionalresults have already been released.

Dr. Lawi was also very pleased toinorm that OU had or the firsttime conducted its UniversityExaminations in eight SADCcountries.

Te examinations involved twonew programmers o Masters andDiploma in Open and DistanceLearning coordinated by the OUSADC Centre o Specialization

or ODL in eacher Educationand were conducted in anzania,Angola, DRC, Lesotho, Malawi,Mozambique, Zambia andZimbabwe. (Photo: Dr. Lawi,Director, Examination Syndicate)

New design o the SARIS to reduce students queries

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Newsflash May 2014