Page 45 - Open and Distance Education In Asia : Good Practice From AAOU Members

Asian Association of Open Universities (AAOU) 25

to enable innovative solutions and/or social the sustainability of the university. Another
innovations. This plan when supported by the plan that has been incorporated is Risk
current management efforts in network and Management. A dedicated team will be set-
linkages can indeed place OUM in the frontier up by the end of 2022 to help the university
of Sustainable Quality Digital Education. identify new trends in technology-enhanced
education and its surrounding environment to
Positioning OUM in the Frontier of develop a plan for 2030. At present planning
Socially Responsible and Sustainable to support technology advancement for the
Quality Digital Education next five years (until 2026) are in place. What
In line with the university’s aspiration to we do expect? What we hope for is greater
be sustainable and to offer quality digital extend of integrated and adaptive intelligent
education, OUM is hoping to position itself systems that corresponds to the targets
as a socially responsible and sustainable ODL under the SDGs.
university that offers quality state of art digital
education. In realising this, the university Future Challenges and Opportunities
is undertaking the following initiatives: (i) As a private higher education institution in
strengthening its academic programmes; ODL, OUM shares the market with two other
(ii) establishing research projects with open universities in a country with only 33.94
targeted in – niche areas, key strategic areas million population and only 24.65 million
(which includes literacies, good health and adults aged over 18 (estimated 2022 data
wellbeing, technology-enhanced learning from United Nation (2022 World Population
design towards creating engaged learning Review)). This added to the competitions
environment, environmental, social and from the public university distance education
governance (ESG) as well as student-centred centres (PJJs) and universities running ODL
studies); (iii) smart learner management programmes, particularly in the present post
systems; (iv) intellectual properties, social Covid-19 education landscape, OUM certainly
innovations and services as research face a great challenge in sustaining itself.
outcomes; (v) regional and global network Fortunately, as a pioneer ODL institution and
and linkages; centre of excellence and state good branding, OUM has sustained itself. Its
of art facilities in selected fields; (vi) quality learner population are mostly self-financed
management system for ODL; and (vii) higher working adults with children. As such the
ranking in the national ranking exercise and learner population are prone to experience
research rating system. The initiatives consist three situational learning barriers: work,
of a short-term action plans for 2022, with finance and family that would continue to
extended targets for 2024, and 2026 which be a challenge. Hence, the motivation for
will be referenced against target set for the the university to establish the new Faculty
national ranking exercise and research rating of Social Science and Humanities. In addition
system. Growth is also ascertained by a plan to the offer of psychology and counselling
to offer marketable programmes, and new programmes, the faculty has initiated
ventures (local and international) to ensure research projects that aims to develop a

Open University Malaysia (OUM)