The Open University of Kenya (OUK) has added 10 new programs and 8 free courses to its academic offerings in a bid to close Kenya’s skills gap and prepare students for emerging job markets.
The announcement was made by OUK Acting Vice Chancellor, Prof. Elijah Omwenga during the launch of 2 digital education centers in collaboration with Open University of China and Donghua University.
New Programs at OUK
The new degree, postgraduate and PhD programs have been spread across 4 faculties to strengthen the university’s digital education and skills development.
Full List of New Programs
School of Agriculture
- Bachelor of Agricultural Technology and Food Systems
School of Business and Economics
- Bachelor of Economics and Data Science
- PhD in Business Administration
- MBA
School of Science and Technology
- Bachelor of Science in Mathematics and Computing
- MSc in Data Science
- MSc in Artificial Intelligence
- MSc in Cyber Security and Digital Forensics
School of Education
- Postgraduate Diploma in Education
- Masters in Learning Design and Technology
These join the 7 existing programs to increase student enrollment and solidify OUK’s position as a digital learning leader in Kenya.
Free Professional Development Courses at OUK
OUK has also introduced 8 professional development courses for free learning in various disciplines.
List of Free and Paid Short Courses
✅ Mental Health Awareness
✅ Gender and Diversity
✅ Emotional Intelligence
✅ Corporate Governance
✅ Business Modelling for Entrepreneurs
✅ Accountability Fundamentals
✅ E-learning Essentials for Online Engagement
✅ Online Assessment
These are to upskill career and empower learners in the job market.
Challenges at OUK
Despite the growth OUK is facing financial constraints particularly in hiring qualified teachers and trainers. “We have had financial challenges, especially in paying people like professors, their salaries are high. We had to agree mutually to keep the university afloat,” said Prof. Omwenga.
Since its launch in 2023, OUK has enrolled 2,500 students and this is expected to increase with the new programs.
Future Plans and Relevance to the Market
Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Carolyne Omulando said OUK is in consultations to ensure the programs are market relevant and technology driven.
“We want to provide accessible, quality education through digital learning that meets Kenya’s workforce needs,” she said.
With these new programs and free courses, OUK will change higher education in Kenya, make learning more flexible and technology based.
