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Strategy Office
BOU 2036 STRATEGIC FRAMEWORK – TOWARDS GLOBAL RECOGNITION
Our Vision
To be an innovative Open University globally recognized for academic excellence, life-long learning and societal impact.
Our Mission
To provide quality academic programmes and services through teaching and learning, research and innovation, and community engagement for a prosperous knowledge-based society.
Our Values
Excellence
Focusing on quality, innovative and relevant programmes and services.
Student-centredness
Shifting the focus of instruction from the teacher to the student by using strategies that address students’ distinct needs, interests and learning styles.
Equity
Ensuring equal opportunity and non-discrimination on the basis of personal, ethnic, religious, gender or other social characteristics.
Integrity
Showing honest and strong moral principles in all aspects of the University’s work.
Academic Freedom
Guaranteeing the freedom of an academic to inquire, teach or communicate or exercise critical thought without suffering any professional disadvantage at the place of employment.
Accountability
Ensuring all staff and students take responsibility for their actions.
Collegiality
Promoting shared governance, cooperation and due respect amongst colleagues at the workplace.
Compassion
Demonstrating empathy, support, care and concern for others (botho).
BOU 2036 Strategic Framework - Towards Global Recognition
To achieve the BOU Mission and Vision the University focuses on five core themes that will guide our path to 2036:
1. Learning & Teaching – the BOU Experience
BOU commits to providing a distinct learning and teaching experience to all its students, staff and alumni. This Framework will enable the University to create an intellectually stimulating and rewarding learning and teaching environment.
Goal 1: To facilitate students to acquire the knowledge, skills, competencies and experiences that empower them for a dynamic and competitive world.
Outcome 1: Students successfully complete their programmes on time, obtain employment or enhance current employment, and apply their competencies in the work-place and have decent livelihoods.
2. Student and Stakeholder Engagement
In its pursuit of lifelong learning, BOU will provide innovative programmes and services attractive to its prospective students, alumni and the public. BOU will collaborate with communities for addressing the country’s socio-economic needs. Such collaborations are an integral part of BOU’s mission and provide opportunities for research and innovation, student attachments, study visits and internships.
Goal 2: To be a community-centred and engaged Open University.
Outcome: Communities, alumni, local and global stakeholders are highly engaged by BOU.
3. Research, Innovation and Sustainable Development
Research and innovation will focus on defined thematic areas including indigenous knowledge systems, sustainable development and technology-enabled learning. A culture of research for both students and staff will be promoted. Inter-disciplinary research and close connection with communities and partners for collaborative research will be encouraged.
Goal 3: To promote a culture of research and innovation.
Outcome: Research and innovation that has societal impact.
4. Open Education, Entrepreneurship and Employability
BOU subscribes to open education through the global open educational resources (OERs) agenda as articulated in the 2012 OER Paris Declaration. It also values students’ utilization of multi-platforms. BOU endeavors to provide an enabling learning and teaching environment supported by a robust ICT infrastructure.
Goal 4: To adopt, develop and use digital technologies across disciplines.
Outcome 4: A culture of lifelong learning through the use of open education, acquisition of entrepreneurship and employability skills for societal impact.
5. Governance and Leadership
A culture of good governance and leadership will permeate the entire institution, contributing to sound policy formulation, robust strategic planning, change management, quality assurance, partnerships and reviews. It entails upholding the rule of law, ensuring effective oversight on issues of strategic importance, policy implementation, collegiality, accountability, transparency and effective communication across the university. It also entails prudence in the mobilization and allocation of resources, including the attraction, development and retention of high calibre human resources.
Goal 5: To promote good governance, ethical and transformative leadership.
Outcome 5: A thriving and sustainable Open University impacting communities in the area of governance and leadership.
BOU 2019-2023 STRATEGIC PLAN
Purpose and Direction
BOU 2019-2023 Strategic Plan defines the University’s 4-year vision, mission and strategic intent to guide the foundational tenets of the journey to 2036. These foundational tenets span 7 change dimensions that the university has identified as key priority areas for the 4-year period.
2019-2023 Vision Statement
To inspire excellence and present life-long learning opportunities globally.
2019-2023 Mission Statement
To provide quality education, research and community engagement through open and distance learning solutions.
2019-2023 Strategic Intent
By 2023 BOU will be an innovative open university recognized for its technology-enhanced programmes, relevant research and societal impact.
The strategic change dimensions highlight areas that BOU should focus on or improve as part of the strategic planning and execution process. These dimensions require a targeted strategic response which supports its transformation initiative.
1. Funding
BOU will diversify its sources of funding to reduce its reliance on government funding.
2. People, culture and structure
BOU will pursue a high performance culture through effective talent management strategies and clear employee value proposition.
3. Branding
BOU will build a strong and identifiable brand based on ODL value proposition
4. Reserach
BOU will run demand driven research programmes based on national and regional priorities.
5. Technology and Infrastructure
BOU will increase its operational efficiency and innovation through the strategic use of technology.
6. Students, academic programmes, teaching and learning
BOU will focus on attracting, developing and retaining high rates of academic skill base and facilitating superior student experience and completion rates.
7. Partnerships and stakeholder management
BOU will leverage strategic partnerships and deliberate stakeholder engagements.
1. Academic Excellence
BOU intends to ensure academic excellence by: 1) delivering high quality and innovative programmes that meet market demands; 2) attracting, developing and retaining highly qualified academic staff with strong leadership capabilities; 3) growing research capabilities through consolidation and establishment of cross-disciplinary research competences.
2. Superior Student Experience
BOU seeks to create a customized and flexible learning environment which will serve evolving learner preferences. Strategically positioning technology at the core of its operations and delivery model in line with the transformational higher education learning ecosystem will ensure heightened student experience and success.
3. Strong Collaboration and Partnerships
BOU aims to develop strong and relevant partnerships and collaborations which seek to drive innovation and knowledge transfer with the aim of promoting continuous and experiential learning. The university will therefore encourage social interaction, collaboration and engagement with local, regional and international communities promoting valuable research and superior learning.
4. Strong Institutional Capability and Operational Excellence
BOU intends to develop and retain strong management and leadership capabilities across the University as characteristic of high performing institutions. In the pursuit of achieving operational excellence BOU will optimize policies, processes and systems which seek to deliver value to its key stakeholders.
