ZOU Delegation Visits NAMCOL to Solidify Regional ODL Partnership Ahead of Landmark MoU

WINDHOEK – The strategic partnership between the Zimbabwe Open University (ZOU) and the Namibian College of Open Learning (NAMCOL) reaches a pivotal moment today as ZOU’s executive delegation enters Day 3 of its five-day working visit in Namibia.

ZOU Vice Chancellor Prof. P. H. Gundani addresses delegates during ongoing high-level working sessions in Namibia ahead of Thursday’s MoU signing.

Led by Vice Chancellor Professor Paul Henry Gundani, the five-member ZOU delegation arrived earlier this week to engage in deep-level institutional collaboration. The working sessions focus on critical operational areas, including academic quality assurance, student support services, marketing, and joint research initiatives.

This reciprocal visit builds directly on the momentum established earlier this year in April, when a delegation from NAMCOL, led by CEO Dr. Ngepathimo Kadhila, visited ZOU’s Harare headquarters. That initial benchmarking exercise laid the groundwork for regional open and distance learning (ODL) synergy and set the trajectory for joint academic development.

Excitement is now mounting across both institutions as preparations conclude for the official signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) this Thursday, 6 August 2026. The agreement is expected to formalize structured frameworks for staff and student exchanges, credit transfers, shared digital learning infrastructure, and collaborative quality management.

Speaking during the working sessions, representatives from both institutions emphasized that the partnership reflects a shared commitment to expanding accessible, high-quality higher education across Southern Africa. The official MoU signing ceremony will mark a transformative leap forward in unifying distance learning standards across borderlines.

NAMCOL Visit in pictures