Page 161 - Open and Distance Education In Asia : Good Practice From AAOU Members

Asian Association of Open Universities (AAOU) 141

For the purpose of advancing international Based on the research conducted by the
partnerships, the university has a dedicated academic staff several strategic decisions
International Relations Unit (IRU) which have been made in the way the university
was established in 2014. The IRU within a conducts its academic activities. For example,
short time has made significant progress from the inception the university allowed its
in establishing links with overseas partners students unlimited attempts to sit for the
and have initiated many projects that would final examinations of a course if they have
enhance the internationalization of the successfully completed their continuous
university. assessments. This enabled students to carry
forward their continuous assessment mark
The university has established by-laws, rules for unlimited years, until they pass the final
and regulations for research and postgraduate examination the course. As a result, many
research degrees. It has also employed clear students had number of incomplete courses
and transparent policies and procedures in their history and were taking long years to
in advertising and recruiting postgraduate complete the programmes. In this respect
students. Considerable number of programs number of independent research studies
are being conducted to enhance research were conducted by several staff members
skills of the staff. The university conducts on different programmes and the result
training for Post Graduate research students of all these independent research findings
on conducting research. The research is a suggested that only about 4% of the students
component found in curricula of almost all can pass the final examination at the second
undergraduate study programs and student attempt and the success rate further
engagement in research is encouraged and reduces below 1% for subsequent attempts.
satisfactorily facilitated by the University. Accordingly, the university took a policy
decision to limit the carry forward years
Further, the university promotes research on starting from 5 years and then to 3 years and
ODL and places an emphasis on institutional currently 2 years. Even though there was
research to learn lessons from the local much resistance from among the students
context so as to adopt them in our practices for this, the university was able to convince
to provide the students with the best form of the students with statistical proof that
ODL supports. For this purpose, the university limiting the number of attempts only helps
has a dedicated committee chaired by the the student to complete the programme
Vice-Chancellor known as the Committee for quickly. Further, based on these findings
Research Assistance in Distance Education the university also limited the total period
(CRADE) which is currently focussing on six spent by a student to complete a programme
thematic areas: Access, Equity and Ethics, to three times the minimum duration. The
Innovation and Change, Quality Assurance, completion rates of students over the last
Professional Development and Faculty few years vindicates the strategic decisions
Support, Learner Support Services, and made by the university based on institutional
Educational Technology. research conducted by its staff.

The Open University of Sri Lanka (OUSL)