Osinbajo, UNILAG seek stronger distance learning to widen university access

Ogunsola also challenged the perception that open and distance learning was inferior to conventional university education.

She said accredited qualifications obtained through distance learning were of equal value to those awarded through full-time programmes, adding that UNILAG does not indicate on students’ certificates whether they studied through its distance learning or conventional programme.

According to her, the university applies the same quality standards across its programmes regardless of the mode of study.

She said the future of distance education should focus on creating stronger connections between learners and institutions, improving student engagement and ensuring that increased enrolment translates into better learning outcomes and employability.

Ogunsola identified artificial intelligence as one of the technologies that could transform distance learning by supporting personalised instruction, providing immediate feedback, assisting in content development and helping institutions identify students who may be struggling academically.

She, however, warned that the growing use of AI in education would also require universities to address issues such as academic integrity, data protection, intellectual property, algorithmic bias and the changing responsibilities of lecturers.

The Vice-Chancellor called for clear policies to guide the use of digital credentials, online examinations, artificial intelligence, micro-credentials, credit transfers, recognition of prior learning and quality assurance in distance education.

She urged Nigerian universities to stop treating open and distance learning as an isolated programme and instead incorporate it into their broader institutional strategies.

Ogunsola also encouraged stakeholders to reconsider the way success in distance education is measured, arguing that the focus should extend beyond the number of graduates produced to the knowledge, skills and contributions of learners after graduation.

In his keynote address, a Fellow of the University of London, Emeritus Prof. Stephen Brown, said universities needed to design their approach to open and distance learning around their specific institutional and national realities.

Brown emphasised collaboration among universities, regulators, technology providers, students and other stakeholders as an important factor in successfully expanding distance education.

He said institutions needed to understand their own circumstances while also recognising the influence of organisational culture and the wider education ecosystem on the success of their programmes.

Earlier, the Director of the UNILAG Distance Learning Institute, Prof. Risikat Dauda, said the colloquium was particularly relevant given Nigeria’s continuing challenges with access to education.

Dauda said international developments in open educational resources, artificial intelligence, micro-credentials and flexible qualifications showed that the future of education was increasingly moving towards lifelong, modular and adaptable learning.

She added that the participation of experts and practitioners from Nigeria, Ghana and the United Kingdom provided an opportunity for stakeholders to exchange ideas and examine how global developments in distance education could be adapted to the Nigerian context.