ZOU Shines at ACDE 20th Anniversary Seminar
ACDE Leadership group photo @ 20th Anniversary Seminar
The Zimbabwe Open University (ZOU), a proud member of the African Council for Distance Education (ACDE), participated in the ACDE 20th Anniversary Seminar held at the University of South Africa under the theme “Transforming African Distance Education: Emerging Technologies, Institutional Digitalisation and Quality Assurance.”
ZOU Vice-Chancellor Professor Paul Henry Gundani, who also serves as the ACDE Southern Africa Regional Representative, took part in the high-level plenary session “ACDE @ 20 – Lessons Learned.” The session reflected on ACDE’s growth, quality assurance, partnerships, policy influence and the impact of member institutions across Africa.
ZOU was also represented by Dr. Peter Mutanho, ACDE Strategist and ZOU Manager, who facilitated a session on overcoming persistent challenges in ODFL, including the digital divide, student support, quality assurance, funding and sustainable partnerships.
Celebrating 20 Years of ACDE Impact
Beyond looking back at how far distance learning has come, the seminar served as a launchpad for ACDE’s upcoming 2026–2030 strategic vision. Key milestones celebrated include:
- Raising the Bar: Celebrating the rollout and impact of the ACDE Quality Assurance Toolkit, which has helped transform ODeL into a trusted, credible choice for African students rather than a fallback option.
- A Shift in Perspective: Acknowledging that distance education is now widely recognized as a primary, high-quality driver of higher education access for working professionals, rural communities, and non-traditional learners.
- Embracing the Future: Laying down commitments to integrate artificial intelligence, digital innovation, and homegrown African research solutions into everyday learning.
As ACDE steps boldly into its next decade, ZOU remains deeply committed to championing accessible, high-quality, and future-ready education for everyone on the continent.
Full ACDE @ 20 Seminar Report