The Open University of Mauritius (OU) was established on July 12, 2012, under the Open University of Mauritius Act 2010. The Mauritius College of the Air, which was set up in 1971, was integrated into the Open University of Mauritius in July 2012.
The OU is the first ISO-certified public university in Mauritius. From the delivery of short courses and Continuous Professional Development courses for medical doctors and specialists to the award of degrees up to doctoral level, the OU aims to meet the growing demand for quality higher education both locally and worldwide.
In 2014, the OU was the only local university that registered positive growth (as high as 88%) in the number of learners enrolled. After only four years of operation, the OU has more than 5,000 students who study mostly through blended open-distance learning. Study materials are accessible online on a special e-learning platform, and students have the opportunity to meet lecturers and other staff on campus for face-to-face enrichment sessions.
The University has developed close working ties with prestigious institutions like the Imperial College, London and the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh. It is also a member of international associations comprising the Association of Commonwealth Universities (ACU), the International Association of Universities (IAU), and the African Council for Distance Education (ACDE) amongst others.
On 06 Jan 2017, the Africa Platform for Regional Integration Development Effectiveness (PRIDE) was established at the Open University of Mauritius to disseminate training on Regional Integration. OU also gives a number of scholarships to learners of the African region and inmates of the Mauritius Prison Service.
