Larry Cooperman, Associate Dean for Open Education, was appointed to a third two-year term at the meeting of the General Assembly of the African Virtual University on September 5th. The African Virtual University provides pan-African distance learning curricula and other services. It currently has some 35 partner universities in 27 countries and is developing a joint computer science curriculum. The AVU, with support from the African Development Bank (AfDB), provides infrastructure for distance learning to its partners, including computer labs, complete with Internet access and backup electrical generating capacity. The General Assembly endorsed a plan for the AVU to transition into a degree-granting institution, supporting Africa’s urgent need for more skilled professionals in collaboration with its partner network.
Cooperman, speaking at AVU conference last year. To the right, Rector Bakary Diallo.
While the elected members of the AVU board of directors are all sitting vice-chancellors from the partner network, the board also appoints a limited number of “strategic partners,” one of which is UCI’s Cooperman. The AVU’s rector, Dr. Bakary Diallo, also sits on the board of directors of the Open Education Consortium.