The Association of Commonwealth Universities and the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade launch blended learning programme in West Africa at CHOGM 2022
Following the successful pilot programme in East Africa, the new Partnership for Enhanced and Blended Learning (PEBL) in West Africa will further increase access to higher education in countries where demand outstrips supply.
By combining technology and digital media with face-to-face lectures, blended learning presents an opportunity to safeguard learning during times of crisis, address academic staff shortages and provide education and training at scale.
The PEBL project has already turned this opportunity into a reality for universities across East Africa, supported by the UK FCDO's SPHEIR programme. It brought together 23 East African universities and technical partners based in the UK and Canada, resulting in the upskilling of over 150 academics in blended learning delivery.
The new programme announced today between the Association of Commonwealth Universities (ACU) and Government of Australia will help build stronger, more resilient institutions and widen access to higher education.
By supporting academics and students across 12 universities in Ghana and Nigeria, PEBL West Africa will build sustainable capacity for blended learning through expert-led training, collaboration, and the development of quality assured, credit-bearing blended courses. Funded by the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT), this unique partnership is designed to rapidly, and sustainably, scale capacity for hybrid learning design and delivery.
PEBL West Africa will draw on the learnings, expertise and resources developed in the PEBL East Africa project. The model is designed to be easily replicated to meet similar challenges in higher education access elsewhere across the Commonwealth.
Higher education is essential to building strong societies. The good news that more people than ever want to go to university is tempered by a lack of qualified staff to meet the massive rise in demand. It is crucial for universities to collaborate across borders to find solutions to improving access and equity. In this, international networks like the ACU offer transformative experiences and a powerful forum for the exchange of resources, experience, and expertise.
As the coronavirus pandemic has seen universities switch to online teaching at unprecedented pace and scale globally, blended learning may well become standard practice in Africa and elsewhere and such skills will be in demand. Through PEBL, universities are able to share teaching resources and pool expertise to ensure more young people can access quality higher education now and into the future.
Dr Joanna Newman, ACU Chief Executive and Secretary General
Participating in PEBL has helped me to develop personally and professionally. ‘The training workshops are a great way to meet new people and expand your network and the trainers are very knowledgeable and helpful. They really invest in the whole learning experience with an eagerness to impart knowledge and a genuine desire to help you.
Dr Carlene Kyeremeh, Vice President of Academic and Student Affairs. All Nations University, Ghana
Blended learning and teaching come with the advantage of overcoming barriers associated with face-to-face approach such as distance, time, space, location, shortage of lecturers, library holding, admission quota and inclusiveness. We are therefore enthusiastic about the positive impacts blended learning will have on both the staff and students of Ebonyi State University Abakaliki, Nigeria.
Dr Catherine V. Nnamani, Associate Professor of Plant Systematics and Conservation Biology. Ebonyi State University, Nigeria
The PEBL West Africa programme is supported by the following partners:
Coordinating/Lead Partner
- Association of Commonwealth Universities (ACU)
Technical and Regulatory Partners
- Staff and Education development Association (SEDA) – Deliver Blended Learning (DBL) pedagogy training course and certification, mentor local experts to deliver in-house training, support module selection
- Commonwealth of Learning (CoL) – Provide Quality Assurance training in Blended Learning QA Rubric, launch QA Review Tool at 12 university partners, support module selection
- National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN) – Design and implement trainings on online facilitation and the use of Learning Management Systems, design and run train-the trainer workshops for 100 of the 400 academics trained initially
- Ghana Tertiary Education Commission (GTEC) – Lead on the development of policy guidelines and frameworks in Ghana
- National Universities Commission in Nigeria (NUC) – Lead on the development of policy guidelines and frameworks in Nigeria
- University of New South Wales in Australia – Deliver Open Education Resources (OERs) training
University Partners
- Alex Ekwueme Federal University Ndufu Alike Ebonyi State Nigeria (AE-FUNAI)
- All Nations University
- Ashesi University
- Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST)
- Kumasi Technical University
- First Technical University, Ibadan (Tech-U Ibadan)
- University of Lagos
- University of Energy and Natural Resources (UENR)
- University of Health and Allied Services (UHAS)
- Ladoke Akintola University of technology (LAUTECH)
- University of Ibadan
- Ebonyi State University
Read more about PEBL West Africa and our activities at CHOGM 2022.
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PEBL West Africa snapshot Photos of ACU evening reception and PEBL launch