NOUN matriculates 23,885 students

The National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN) has matriculated 23,885 newly- admitted students, with the vice-chancellor, Prof Uduma Oji Uduma, declaring that Open and Distance Learning (ODL) is the future of higher education.

He made the declaration during the university’s 31st matriculation ceremony which took place virtually across its study centres nationwide on Wednesday.

Prof Uduma said the increasing adoption of ODL by conventional universities, coupled with the growing number of young Nigerians deliberately choosing NOUN, showed that the future of higher education was moving towards greater flexibility, accessibility, technology-driven learning and learner autonomy.

According to him, NOUN was established on the principle that geographical location, time, employment, family responsibilities and other barriers should not determine access to quality university education.

He reaffirmed the university’s commitment to widening access to higher education while maintaining academic standards.

The newly matriculated students comprise 17,471 undergraduates, 1,967 Postgraduate Diploma students, 4,333 Master’s students, 10 MPhil/PhD students and 104 PhD candidates.

Congratulating the students, Prof Uduma described their admission as both an opportunity and a responsibility, urging them to pursue knowledge, competence, character and integrity throughout their academic journey.

Speaking on the changing landscape of higher education in Nigeria, he noted that many conventional universities were increasingly embracing Open, Distance, and e-Learning through the establishment of Distance Learning Centres and dual-mode academic systems, noting that the development underscores the vision upon which NOUN was established.

“When conventional universities increasingly embrace ODL, they are, in a very real sense, validating the vision that NOUN embraced long ago. NOUN did not wait for the future to arrive before preparing for it. NOUN saw tomorrow before many others saw it,” he said.

He stressed that although other institutions were  entering the ODL space, NOUN’s advantage lay in its decades of experience, established learner-support systems and institutional expertise in delivering quality education across geographical and social boundaries.

He said the expansion of ODL across the Nigerian university system should be regarded as an affirmation of NOUN’s pioneering role rather than a threat.

According to him, the university is strategically positioned to provide leadership in shaping the future of higher education in Nigeria and beyond.

The vice-chancellor also highlighted what he described as a significant demographic shift within NOUN, noting that increasing numbers of young Nigerians were choosing the institution because of its flexibility, technological orientation and ability to accommodate learning alongside work and other life commitments.

The trend, he said, demonstrates that ODL was no longer regarded merely as an alternative route to higher education but increasingly becoming a deliberate choice for ambitious learners seeking quality education within a flexible learning environment.

He therefore assured the students that the university would continue to strengthen its learner-support structures through improved counselling services, enhanced information and call-support systems, as well as the activities of the Student Affairs Deanery established to promote student welfare and engagement.

He urged the matriculating students to take full advantage of the opportunities available to them by participating actively in facilitation classes, completing their Tutor-Marked Assignments (TMAs), utilising the Learning Management System (LMS) and seeking assistance whenever necessary.

The unuversity registrar Mr. Oladipo A. Ajayi administered the matriculating oath to the students via the zoom platform as he urged them to abide by all the university’s rules and regulations to avoid expulsion.