The Vice-Chancellor, National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN), Prof. Olufemi Peters, has alerted senior administrative professionals of their key roles in driving student success and institutional excellence as a top priority.
“As senior administrative professionals, you are architects of student success and institutional excellence. Your understanding of ODL fundamentals and commitment to collaborative excellence directly impacts NOUN's ability to democratise higher education access across Nigeria,” he said.
Prof. Peters stated this in his keynote presentation on: “The Fundamentals of Open and Distance Learning and its Subsystems,”during the opening ceremony of a 2-day training workshop, held between September 23rd - 24th, 2025 at Pave Hotel and Suites, Abuja.
The training was organised for the university’s senior registry and bursary staff, which carried the theme: “Leadership in Open Distance Learning (ODL): Roles and Responsibilities of Senior Staff of Registry and Bursary.”
NOUN’s Regional Training and Research Institute for Distance and Open Learning (RETRIDOL) organised the training meant for senior administrative professionals whose critical role in the university’s success is imperative.
According to the VC, the training was not just another session, but a platform for reflection, renewal, and reimagining of their key roles in driving student success and institutional excellence as a top agenda.
Speaking on Setting the Foundation for Excellence, he listed what he termed Key Principles for Administrative Leadership as ODL-Specific Expertise, Systems Thinking: Designing Processes Around Learner Success, Technological Proficiency, Collaborative Excellence, Quality Orientation and Adaptive Leadership.
He highlighted the Key Principles for Administrative Leadership as: ODL-Specific Expertise, Systems Thinking, Student-Centredness, Technological Proficiency, Collaborative Excellence, Quality Orientation, Adaptive Leadership, among others.
The VC identified the Unique Challenges in ODL administration for registry operations as Scale Management, Geographic Distribution, Consistent Service Delivery across 123 centres, Technology Dependence and Regulatory Compliance.
While for the Bursary operations, he highlighted the following as imperative: Distributed Financial Management, Digital Payment Systems, Cost-effectiveness and Revenue Collection.
Earlier in her opening remarks, the Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Technology, Innovation and Research (DVC-TIR), Prof. Christine Ofulue, said the workshop was a result of the outcome from earlier similar workshop held for Deans and Heads of Departments in March, 2025.
The workshop, Ofulue said, aimed to promote professional competence, efficiency, and innovation in administrative and financial practices; enhance the capacity of registry and bursary staff at NOUN by deepening their understanding of ODL principles, clarifying their core and emerging roles within the ODL context, and fostering productive collaboration with academic staff toward achieving institutional goals.
The main objectives of the workshop, she added, was “to provide an overview of ODL and its pedagogical framework, clarify the core traditional and emerging responsibilities of registry staff in ODL, enhance the capacity of registry staff to support academic operations in ODL, enhance understanding of institutional policies, academic support processes, and communication flows, and foster collaboration between administrative and academic teams to promote student success.”
The DVC explained that at the end of the workshop, it is hoped that participants would be able to demonstrate an understanding of the fundamentals of Open and Distance Learning (ODL), including the distinctive features of its administrative and financial operations, clearly identify and effectively carry out their specific roles and responsibilities within the ODL framework.
She expressed gratitude for the support of the Vice-Chancellor, the Registrar, the Bursar, workshop coordinators, the RETRIDOL team and resource persons for accepting the invitation.
Ofulue said it was her hope that the workshop will act as a catalyst for transforming NOUN and each participant towards excellence and greater impact.
The workshop had about eleven sessions with topics ranging from Quality Assurance Policy Implementation in ODL, Registry-Bursary-Academic Collaboration for Institutional Success, Mentorship and Succession Planning; Building Resilient Team, Traditional and Evolving Roles of Registry Staff in ODL, among others.
Meanwhile, some of the sessions were moderated by Prof. Shehu Usman Adamu (DVC Admin), Mr. Oladipo Ajayi (Registrar), Mal. Nasir Marafa (Bursar), Prof. Obhajajie Inegbedion (Quality Assurance Director), Prof. Olugbenga Ajadi (RETRIDOL), Dr. Muyiwa Akintola (Director of Human Resources), Mr. John Ubaji ( Director, SSC-NSCDC), Mrs. Wosilatu Ainodion (Head, NICC), Mr. Chidiebere Nwankwo (Admin, Team Lead, ACETEL), Mr. Felix Olakulehin (RETRIDOL), among others.
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