The Role of Open and Distance Learning in Institutional Transformation: The Polytechnic of Namibia Experience

This paper reports on the changed nature of the role of universities in developing countries. Specifically, the author argues that the Polytechnic of Namibia, while remaining a university of academic excellence and creative thought, was prepared to transform its conventional role of transferring knowledge to the number of students it could accommodate in classrooms. The Polytechnic of Namibia, through its Centre for Open and Lifelong Learning, has become within the short period of ten years an institution that seeks to provide knowledge and academic expertise to a much wider community than could be reached through oncampus teaching. The Polytechnic of Namibia can now, through distance learning techniques and open learning philosophies, reach out to the whole community in which it serves. This required not only new initiatives and approaches to teaching and delivering degrees, but also an acceptance that the most sophisticated concepts can be taught in formats that off-campus students can understand. The Polytechnic of Namibia transformed into a truly dual-mode university, recognising the equal importance of open and lifelong learning programmes to the more conventional programmes of full-time on-campus studies and research.