The Open University of Tanzania is a public university that was established by an Act of Parliament in 1992 and became operational in 1993. The university offers degree and non-degree programmes through a distance and open-learning system.
The university’s headquarters are in Dar es Salaam, the financial capital of Tanzania. But the university conducts its business also through a network of 23 regional centres that have direct contact with students. Each of the centres has a regional director who offers various services. In addition to the centres and the work they do, collaboration exists between the institution and some top foreign universities, which help foreign students with their educational needs.
The open university’s faculty of law was established in 1996 following public demand. A law faculty was not envisaged when the university first opened.
Just more than a decade later the faculty has more than 4Â 000 students pursuing bachelor of law degrees, as well as postgraduate diplomas in law, masters of law and doctorates in law.
The main challenge the faculty faces is the high demand for its education. Consequently there are a growing number of students who join the university directly from school. This was not the case a few years ago when the open university was perceived to be a university for the elderly — people who could not leave their families and jobs to pursue their studies.
In the drive to overcome those challenges the faculty has recruited more dynamic, young professionals, as well as experienced members of staff. The faculty has moved aggressively also to the use of ICT platforms in teaching and learning. Students can access all the information on the university website. This enables students to download all relevant materials online.
It is expected that in the near future all regional centres will be connected to a local area network (LAN), making it easier for students in the regions to have access to computers.
Among the alumni of the faculty is the former minister for science, technology and higher education Dr Pius Ng’wandu, who graduated with both an LLB and an LLM. Others include the current director of the Commission for Science and Technology, D Yadon Mtalima Kohi, and the regional director for Shinyanga, Dr Yohana Balele. The faculty boasts a number of students who are ministers in the government.
Paul Kihwelo is the dean of the faculty of law at the Open University of Tanzania. He has been a law lecturer since 2000 and a dean of the faculty since 2004