Wawasan Open University (WOU) has entered into a new partnership with e-learning provider Saylor Academy (Saylor) to offer more flexible and accessible learning opportunities to anyone interested in pursuing WOU programmes.
The partnership was formalised through a Memorandum of Understanding signed by WOU Chief Executive and Vice Chancellor, Prof Dr Lily Chan, and Saylor Deputy Executive Director, Global Strategy, Sheila Jagannathan on the sidelines of the 36th Asian Association of Open Universities Annual Conference which was held in Istanbul, Türkiye from 28 to 30 September 2023.
As part of WOU’s continuous mission to support student learning throughout their careers, learners will be able to earn Skill Development certificates from Saylor’s suite of professional development courses. The 3-year mutually beneficial partnership which took effect from 15 August 2023, will give the WOU community – students, training participants and staff, to access Saylor’s learning materials free of charge.
Furthermore, WOU will also incorporate Saylor’s educational resources as academic content for relevant degree programmes and the upskilling content used by WOU Academy, our centre for executive education and training.
WOU and Saylor both recognise that students, particularly working adults, lead increasingly busy and complex lives. For them to manage skill development with work and personal commitments, flexible educational options are necessary. With this partnership, students can have free access to in-demand skills giving them an even greater edge over competitors in the workforce.
“This collaboration marks our commitment towards increasing access to higher education, particularly through open, flexible distance learning,” said Prof Chan.
“We encourage more learners to take advantage of this opportunity to upskill themselves with the wide range of learning courses available at their convenience and at their own pace,” she added.
Saylor Executive Director, Jeff Davidson said, “This partnership signals an investment toward skill development and lifelong learning on behalf of employers, nonprofits and higher education.” He continued, “As economies change more quickly than ever, upskilling opportunities such as Saylor will be critical in supporting lifelong learning and career readiness.”
To access Saylor’s list of over 100 upskilling courses, all learners need to do is register an account on https://www.saylor.org/partners/skills/#universities and start learning.
About Saylor Academy
Saylor Academy is an educational nonprofit initiative committed to ensuring that education is available to anyone, anywhere, and at anytime. Saylor accomplishes its mission by providing free, self-paced, online courses to students worldwide. Saylor also partners with universities, nonprofits/NGOs, government agencies and other institutions to bring skill development and postsecondary learning opportunities that help people better their lives.