ZOU and Kwame Nkrumah University Conclude Landmark Benchmarking Visit

By Livezw Reporter | 19 August 2026

The Zimbabwe Open University (ZOU) and Zambia’s Kwame Nkrumah University (KNU) are today concluding a landmark three day benchmarking engagement aimed at strengthening regional collaboration in Open and Distance Learning (ODL).

The three day engagement has brought together senior academics and institutional leaders from the two universities to share experiences, compare operational models and explore opportunities for deeper cooperation in delivering accessible and quality higher education.

The final sessions taking place today are focusing on translating the knowledge and experiences shared during the visit into an actionable framework for long term institutional cooperation.

Among the key presentations is ZOU’s Partnership and Collaboration Model, presented by the University’s Pro Vice Chancellor for Research, Innovation and Enterprise Development, Professor Tavonga Njaya. The presentation provides insights into how ZOU structures and manages institutional partnerships and collaborations.

KNU’s Director of the Institute of Open and Distance Learning also showcased the university’s Satellite Model, highlighting approaches that can be used to expand decentralised access to higher education and reach students beyond traditional university campuses.

The two institutions are also holding bilateral discussions around several critical areas of higher education development. These include academic programme alignment, credit transfer frameworks, joint research initiatives, publication opportunities, instructional technologies, digital library integration, governance structures and student support mechanisms.

The engagement is particularly significant within the broader SADC higher education landscape, where universities are increasingly exploring ways of sharing expertise, technology and resources to improve access and quality.

The formal programme is culminating in an executive closing session co chaired by the Vice Chancellors of the two universities. The leadership teams are reflecting on the outcomes of the engagement, expressing mutual appreciation and reaffirming their commitment to expanding accessible and quality higher education across the region.

The visit will conclude with a networking session at Haka Game Park, providing delegates with an opportunity to strengthen professional relationships and consolidate the institutional ties established during the benchmarking programme.

The ZOU and KNU engagement comes at a time when Open and Distance Learning is becoming increasingly important in widening access to higher education, particularly through the use of digital technologies, decentralised learning models and innovative student support systems.

The partnership therefore has the potential to contribute to knowledge sharing and institutional innovation while strengthening cooperation between Zimbabwean and Zambian higher education institutions.

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