Born out of the erstwhile Botswana College of Distance and Open Learning (BOCODOL), eight years ago following an Act of Parliament, the Botswana Open University (BOU) has gone through an inspirational transformation that has witnessed growth not only in academic programmes offerings under a number of Schools, but also research that spans a variety of thematic areas, and robust community engagement and service. Developed to meet the growing local and international demand for open and distance learning (ODL) tertiary level programmes, BOU has attracted international students and staff, partnerships and collaborations that continue to highlight the uniqueness of its digitally enabled inclusivity in all its functions.

The University’s mandate of making education accessible to all, especially the out of school youths, adults, and marginalised communities using ODL methodologies, has truly lived to expectations, and created a continuum of education from Basic to Tertiary and Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET). Its methodology breaks down the barriers to personal development by providing flexible learning environments, enabling people to study what is relevant to their needs, at a time and place convenient to them. Testimony to this, is its large student population from industry, where learners take their studies while employed, basically undertaking real-time ‘internship’ that is otherwise not possible in conventional ‘face-to-face’ teaching and learning. 

In essence, their work places become living laboratories where they can identify problems and provide possible solutions as they work and study. BOU’s ODL focus, through robust digital platforms enables students to engage in lifelong education, equipping them with adaptability in a world characterised by seismic technological changes.

BOU’s offerings encompass programmes in basic education under the College of Open Schooling ranging from Junior Certificate (JC) and the Botswana General Certificate of Secondary Education (BGCSE); to the vocational, and tertiary level management and professional programmes at certificate, diploma, degree and postgraduate studies, offered in four Schools, namely, the School of Business and Management Studies, School of Education, School of Social Sciences, and the School of Science and Technology.

The University has its headquarters in Gaborone, and operates through five Regional Campuses located in Gaborone, Francistown, Palapye, Maun and Kang. Each campus serves as an administrative support for learners through the learning centres strategically located across the country, with the potential of serving as springboards/launching pads for community relevant research and engagement.

The following are the defined University values:

• Innovation
• Student Centredness
• Excellence
• Inclusivity
• Collegiality