27 October, 2003
© Beep Knowledge System and case owners, 2002-2003
Social Inclusion Cases
Executive
summary of the case:
Timing of case
In 1995, the World Bank initiated the preparation of the African Virtual
University, a satellite based distance education project whose objectives
are to deliver to countries of Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), university education
in the discipline of science and engineering, non-credit/ continuing education
programs and remedial instruction.
Geographic setting
African Virtual University links 30 learning centers in 15 African countries
via the Internet to universities in Europe, Canada, and the United States.
Headquarters of AVU is situated in Nairobi, Kenya.
Currently, the countries participating in AVU's program include Kenya, Tanzania, Zimbabwe, Uganda, Namibia, South Africa, Rwanda, Burundi, Ghana, Benin, Burkina Faso, Mauritania, Niger, Senegal and Ethiopia.
Type and use of ICT
The AVU infrastructure currently consists of a broadcast network with
the up-link at COMSAT Tele-port in Clarksburg, Maryland, USA and multiple
receive-only sites (AVU learning centers). This network utilizes digital
video and audio broadcast over the New Skies Satellite (NSS) 803 in C-Band.
Full interaction is achieved through two way audio utilizing telephone
land lines as return links and also through the use of Internet technologies
like email, forums and chat boards.
Main contributors
In the pilot phase the University of Massachusetts and the New Jersey
Institute of Technology in the United States, and University College Galway
in Ireland were among the American and European institutions participating.
The World Bank, the European Union, the governments of Belgium, Canada,
Ireland, Norway, Sweden, and United States, and Intelsat have provided
funding for AVU to date.
Main beneficiaries
Students in Africa from 16 English-speaking and 9 French-speaking African
universities in 15 countries.
Background
The African Virtual University was a project funded by infoDev back in
1996. infoDev supported the launch of the AVU through a $250,000 grant
to conduct a feasibility. The study involved the definition of the organization
model which would form the basis for the formulation of the AVU's business
plan, including the choices of the technological options for the delivery
of instruction, the arrangements with partnering institutions both on
the supply and the demand side, the definition of programs of studies
for the start-up phase, the contractual arrangements with suppliers, and
the establishment of agreements with African countries and institutions.
Objectives
The AVU was set up with the following objectives in mind:
· Significantly increase the enrolment levels of scientists, technicians,
engineers, and business managers
· Improve quality and relevance of science, business and engineering
instruction in Sub-Saharan Africa;
· Provide an academic environment in which African educational
institutions, faculty and students can participate effectively in the
world-wide community of learning, research, and dissemination of knowledge.
Resources (apart from ICT)
A total of $ 13 million has been invested so far in AVU, with half of
those funds from the World Bank. Other donors apart from the European
Commission include Ireland, Sweden, Belgium, United States, Norway and
Canada. The EC agreed to participate in the second phase of this project
back in 1998, and in the spring of 2000, Development Commissioner, Poul
Nielson announced a firm EC commitment of € 1 million to the initiative.
Activities
AVU has chosen to focus on areas of knowledge, which are critical to economic
development, but ones which are inadequately catered for by existing institutions
of higher learning. Initially, AVU will focus on science, engineering
and technology, management and health programs.
AVU will offers two main product lines:
-The Academic Channel which offers undergraduate students degrees in computer
science and electrical and computer engineering.
-The Business and Technology Channel which delivera short courses in management
and information technology (IT) and foreign languages and an executive
MBA.
Outputs and results
Since the launch of its pilot phase in 1997, AVU has provided over 24,000
students and 3,500 professionals in 15 African countries with over 3,000
hours of interactive instruction in English and French. AVU has now transitioned
from a World Bank project to establish itself an independent non-profit
making organisation, headquartered in Nairobi, Kenya.
Lessons and conclusions
The AVU teaching-learning model comprises a mixture of videotaped and
live lectures delivered by one-way video, 2-way audio digital satellite
broadcast and email interaction between students and instructors, supplemented
by textbooks, course notes, and learner support in the
classroom by local facilitators.
Case description:
Background
The African Virtual University was a project funded by infoDev back in
1996. infoDev supported the launch of the AVU through a $250,000 grant
to conduct a feasibility. The study involved the definition of the organization
model which would form the basis for the formulation of the AVU's business
plan, including the choices of the technological options for the delivery
of instruction, the arrangements with partnering institutions both on
the supply and the demand side, the definition of programs of studies
for the start-up phase, the contractual arrangements with suppliers, and
the establishment of agreements with African countries and institutions.
The African Virtual University (AVU) is the first attempt to use, on a grand scale, the power of modern information technologies to increase access to desperately needed educational resources in Sub-saharian Africa. The AVU will offer university degree programs in science, technology, and medical fields; noncredit training and seminars; remedial instruction; and electronic library services. The integration of satellite and computer technologies will allow for cost-effective and efficient transmission of video and data resources from both the United States and Europe, as well as the flexibility to incorporate proven and emerging interactive tools and multimedia resources to support student learning and network operations. A combination of live and videotaped instruction will be provided by program affiliate institutions in the U.S. and Europe during initial operations, with partner institutions and other organizations in SSA providing administrative, academic, and technical staff to support operations.
The AVU will be implemented in three phases: the prototype service phase which is scheduled for the next calendar year to test the assumptions and models presented in this report and to establish the operating structure of the university; the initial operations phase, scheduled to begin in 1998 with the offering of complete degree programs and a full range of each of the other products and services; and the final operations phase during which the university will transition to the offering of programs by partner African institutions.
Background - Key Factor: improved regional human
capital
The University of Ghana, the University of Cape Coast, and the University
of Science and Technology have been selected as AVU sites. Each site has
a computer lab and facilities for receiving satellite transmission. Students
are welcome to register for distance learning courses, but the response
has been cautious and slow. It might be that the program has made the
distance learning courses seem to be demanding. Students on the Ghana
campuses seem to be worried that they would jeopardize their performances
on their required classes due to the demands from the AVU courses. Additionally
the AVU courses provide a certificate but no academic credit from a recognized
institution abroad. Lastly, at some of the AVU labs, students browse the
Internet freely rather than pursuing the requirements of the program.
A need for public access Internet is being demonstrated.
Objectives
- To use modern telecommunication technology (especially satellite
TV technology) in diverse countries in Africa to demonstrate that it
can be used effectively as a teaching medium.
- To prove that such a project can be successfully implemented in various
African countries, each with its own government, educational system,
independent universities (jealously guarding their academic freedom),
telecommunication authorities (jealously guarding their airspace), language,
and culture.
- To prove that such a project can generate the economy of scale to
sustain itself after the inevitable discontinuation of donor funding.
- To upgrade the capacity of African countries in teaching mathematics
and science, subjects that are very much needed to kick-start their
economies.
- To prove that diverse communities can easily adapt to the modern
technology, that is, that such communities can leapfrog the paper age.
- To prove that diverse university curricula and timetables can be subjected to the dictates of common sense and usefulness.
Objectives - Key Factor: improved regional human
capital
AVU’s developmental objectives are to complement and strengthen
ongoing efforts to:
- Increase access to tertiary and continuing education in Africa by
reaching large numbers of students and professional in multiple sites
simultaneously.
- Improve the quality of education by tapping global academic resources
as well as the best in Africa. AVU will also facilitate access to educational
resources by expanding the coverage of its own digital library and by
leveraging other initiatives such as the African Virtual Library being
developed by Technikon SA in South Africa. In this way, students will
have access to high quality learning materials, no matter where they
are enrolled. Problem solving skills and the development of an entrepreneurial
spirit will be the cornerstone of AVU’s teaching.
- Contribute to bridging the digital divide by improving connectivity
in AVU learning centers and host universities and by providing training
in engineering, computer science, IT and business. AVU will train large
numbers of engineers and "knowledge workers" and will thus
contribute to providing one of the essential elements for attracting
capital and investment to Africa – a skilled labor force.
- Bring African faculty, students and professionals in closer dialogue
and offer them an opportunity to play an active role in the global knowledge
age and to share educational resources developed in Africa with the
rest of the world.
- Assist in reducing the brain drain by offering an attractive alternative
to studying abroad – quality education of international standards
and with international accreditation at an affordable cost.
- By offering skills training and upgrading for professionals and contributing
to improving skills of the labor force, AVU will serve as a catalyst
for new investments and economic development.
- Build the capacity of African tertiary education institutions and their faculty for better management, financial sustainability, and extension of their reach through delivery of distance education
Resources
A total of $ 13 million has been invested so far in AVU, with half of
those funds from the World Bank. Other donors apart from the European
Commission include Ireland, Sweden, Belgium, United States, Norway and
Canada. The EC agreed to participate in the second phase of this project
back in 1998, and in the spring of 2000, Development Commissioner, Poul
Nielson announced a firm EC commitment of € 1 million to the initiative.
Resources - Key Factor: improved regional human
capital
In tertiary education, as in secondary, it is becoming more difficult
to retain high quality instructors in technology and in mathematics and
science. The Africa Virtual University is experimenting with modes of
centralizing the development of instruction modules and courses, and distributing
these centrally developed materials across a large number of campuses.
While the distribution costs remain significant, they can be expected
to fall and the per-student cost on campus is likely to be smaller than
the conventional alternative.
Activities
During class, the students have real-time interaction with their instructors,
via talkback or e-mail.
Tutors guide students through the course and act as liaison with course instructors. Class preparation material and research are distributed over the Internet.
AVU also provides students access to an on-line digital library with over 1,000 full-text journals and over 10,000 free e-mail accounts have been opened and can be accessed through the AVU Web site.
The typical AVU classroom has between 25-30 students, sitting at their desks watching the broadcast on large screen projectors, television monitors or computers. During the class, students have the opportunity for real-time interaction with the instructor using phone lines or e-mail. This framework allows a student in Rwanda, for example, to pose a question to a professor in Togo or Paris that can be heard and commented upon by students in Benin and Senegal. At each participating AVU learning center, on-site moderators guide the students through the materials and act as liaison with course instructors. Each AVU learning center is equipped with at least 50 computers and Internet access.
Activities - Key Factor: improved regional human capital
AVU’s delivery model combines a creative integration of satellite
and Internet technologies that allows it to provide quality educational
content from all over the world at an affordable cost, while taking into
account the technological and infrastructure limitations that currently
prevail in Africa. AVU places a high premium on interactivity and local
learner support so as to ensure pedagogical effectiveness.
World-class professors from universities around the globe deliver classes
from a studio classroom. The course is transmitted to AVU's central uplink
facilities in Clarksburg, Maryland and then beamed by satellite to its
learning centers all across Africa, which are each equipped with an inexpensive
satellite dish required to receive the signal.
Output and Results
Since the launch of its pilot phase in 1997, AVU has provided students
and professionals in 16 African countries over 2,500 hours of interactive
instruction. More than 12,000 students have completed semester-long courses
in engineering and in the sciences and over 2,500 professionals have attended
executive and professional management seminars.
The AVU also provides students access to an on-line digital library with over 1,000 full-text journals and over 10,000 free e-mail accounts have been opened and can be accessed through the AVU Web site.
Output and Results - Key Factor: improved regional
human capital
Acceptance of the concept:
- Increased interest in application of ICT in teaching and learning
at partner institutions
- Strong support by African universities
- Growing willingness to pay for AVU courses
- Strong and increasing demand for collaboration with AVU (institutions
in Africa and elsewhere)
- A strong interest by the private and corporate sector in Africa to become AVU learning centers
Need to improve telecommunication infrastructure:
- High speed of access to Internet
- Reliable telephone lines
- Affordable cost of telephone and Internet service
- Affordable cost of computers
- Enabling telecommunication policy regimes
- Adequate archiving capacity to allow local programming despite time zone differences as well as re-distribution within countries
Need for greater presence in Africa:
- Need to build capacity to allow course development and delivery from
African institutions
- AVU needs to decentralize its operations to be closer to learning centers and students and to be more responsive to their needs
Need for Strong Management:
- Leadership and business management skills are critical for success
- Firm support by top management of host institution
Lessons and conclusions
Probably the most important findings are that it is possible to:
- Set up a virtual university in Africa, using very advanced communication
technology.
- Obtain collaboration on state level and on university level between
different African countries (and also overseas countries).
- Synchronise the same courses in the timetables of the different universities
in the different countries.
- Use well-qualified lecturers in more advanced countries to deliver
the courses.
- Train local staff in assisting these lecturers at local sites.
- Use the most advanced technology without losing the students who
are not used to the technology.
- Use a common language (English) to deliver the lectures without any
real communication problems.
- Prove that the operation can be financially viable, even in such
esoteric subjects as mathematics because of the economy-of-scale effect,
summed over the various download sites.
- Prove that the technology is stable and that its equipment can be used over long periods in non-industrialised areas of Africa.
Following its establishment as an independent entity, AVU is about to launch full operations that will include:
(i) delivery of accredited programs in Computer Science to students across sub-Saharan Africa using Internet technologies;
(ii) assisting partner African universities in upgrading their access to high-speed Internet connectivity and with other technology improvements;
(iii) building the capacity of partner universities in technology-enhanced distance education;
(iv) developing a Web-based portal for the African educational community to share information and find new distance learning products and services and;
(v) expanding the scope and scale of its digital library.
Lessons and conclusions - Key Factor: improved regional human capital
According to the Harvard Business Review, "the percentage of students
earning passing grades [at AVU] is higher than average. In one third-year
calculus course, where the normal pass rate in African countries is between
25 percent and 40 percent, 70 percent of the students passed."
Etienne Baranshamaje, the founder and first manager of AVU, says the university's "feedback loops," in which professors use interactive sessions to answer students' questions, helps students tremendously and allows AVU to "avoid a problem that afflicts many distance-education programs: a high dropout rate." Eshiwani expresses similar optimism about the newly founded institution in Nairobi. "The virtual classes will prove less expensive than the physical classes, for parents will find that virtual learning is eliminating flights and accommodation costs and other expenses away from home."
The typical AVU classroom has between 25 and 30 students, and each "learning center" has instructors who monitor students' work and act as a liaison with "virtual" professors. Lectures and seminars by academics in various European and American countries are delivered in front of cameras; the video is then relayed via fiber optics, ISDN lines, or satellite to an uplink station in Clarksburg, Maryland, which then beams the footage via satellite to different African sites that are equipped with the requisite satellite dish. This set up, according to an AVU report, "allows a student in Rwanda, for example, to pose a question to a professor in Togo or Paris that can be heard and commented upon by students in Benin and Senegal." AVU directors are hoping to eventually be able to broadcast courses directly though African television stations.
National television companies have already rebroadcast some of AVU's classes.
Project directors in Nairobi anticipate that between 1,000 and 2,000
students would begin courses in Information Technology and foreign languages
in October 2001 on the University's English-language web site. In 2001,
courses in computer science and computer engineering will be offered on
AVU's English and French-language websites.
References and links
www.avu.org
www.infodev.org/projects/education/001AVU/finalavu.pdf
www.unesco.org/iau/iaunew62.html#African%20Virtual%20University
References and links - Key Factor: improved regional
human capital
Role of Multipurpose Community Telecentres in Accelerating National Development
in Ghana by Wilfred Owen, Jr. and Osei Darkwa: www.firstmonday.dk/issues/issue5_1/owen/index.html
"Enhancing Learning Opportunities in Africa. Distance Education and Information and Communication Technologies for Learning" by Paud Murphy, Steve Anzalone, Andrea Bosch, Jeanne Moulton© March 2002 - Human Development Sector, Africa Region, The World Bank.
"Pioneering distance education in Africa", by David A Light,
Copyright Harvard Business Review Sep-Oct 1999: www.avu.org/uf/harvBus.htm
Further information
finalreport_infodev.pdf - Final report 1998: Feasibility Study and preparation
of prototype service phase. INFODEV programme
Best practice in innovative learning.htm - BEST PRACTICE IN INNOVATIVE
LEARNING: Information Technology as a Catalyst for Change - A Summary
of Recent African Experience by Valerie Gilpin, M.A. (Hons), MALD. CRITE
International Consultant, May 2000
briefing24_en.pdf - DISTANCE LEARNING, THE AFRICAN VIRTUAL UNIVERSITY
AND EU-WORLD BANK CO-OPERATION N° 24 SEPTEMBER 2000
Investments and Costs
Investment whole case Time period covered (in months) Investment amount
(in thousand Euro)
EUProgramme 1000
World Bank, Ireland, Sweden, Belgium, United States, Norway and Canada.
Investment Total 6600
The World Bank has contributed several million US dollars through its
administrative budget and $US250, 000 through INFODEV. Additional funds
were received from bilateral donors trust funds ($737,990) and the US
Trade Development Agency ($365,000)
The Africa Region International Development Fund (IDF) has provided a
grant of $US1.165 million for site terminals in the anglophone countries,
and has already financed site terminals in francophone countries through
budgets in IDA Education projects. An additional IDF grant ($464,000)
has been approved to cover start-up regional activities.
The Canadian trust fund, CND has donated $1.5 million Canadian and promised
to consider another funding request for FY99.
The Irish trust fund has contributed 200,000 Irish Pounds and is now discussing
continued Irish participation in AVU.
The European Commission has pledged ECU 1.0 million for AVU through the
Lomé Convention Intra-ACP regional funds.
Portugal is considering a trust fund to create Portuguese language programs.
The World Bank Development Grant Facility approved $US650,000 for 1998