University of Kabianga Faculty Represents Kenya at the Eleventh Pan-Commonwealth Forum (PCF11) in Botswana
The University of Kabianga was proudly represented at the Eleventh Pan-Commonwealth Forum on Open Learning (PCF11), held from 10–12 September 2025 at the Gaborone International Convention Centre, Botswana, by Dr. David Ngatia and Dr. Florence Kamonjo, faculty members in the School of Education, Arts & Social Sciences. Their participation underscored the University’s commitment to advancing research and practice in open, distance, and online learning, while bringing valuable Kenyan perspectives to the global dialogue on inclusive and innovative education.
Co-hosted by the Commonwealth of Learning (COL), the Ministry of Higher Education, Botswana, and Botswana Open University (BOU), this year’s Forum was convened under the theme: “Innovative Open Education: Fostering Resilient Societies for Sustainable Economic Development.” Recognized as one of the world’s leading international conferences on open and distance learning (ODL), PCF is held every three years and provides a vital platform for the global open, online, and flexible learning community to share knowledge, identify emerging trends, and explore practical applications of ODL in widening access, bridging the digital divide, and promoting socio-economic development.
The University of Kabianga’s presence was strongly felt through impactful scholarly contributions. Dr. Ngatia presented a paper titled “Sustaining Communities of Learning and Practice in Kenyan Universities: Building Resilient and Inclusive Open Education Systems,” which highlighted the crucial role of communities of practice in fostering innovation, inclusivity, and resilience within Kenyan higher education, sparking engaging dialogue among delegates. Dr. Kamonjo presented a paper titled “Blended Vs. Traditional Learning: Academic Achievement in Formative Assessments at the University of Kabianga” on behalf of co-authors Dr. Ngatia, Dr. Benedicta Tabot, and Prof. Paul Onsare. This research provided comparative insights into the effectiveness of blended versus traditional learning approaches in enhancing student performance.
In addition to presenting, Dr. Ngatia was honoured to serve as a Rapporteur in a parallel session on “Co-creating and Adapting OER for Sustainable Practice.” This session explored collaborative approaches to developing, adapting, and localising Open Educational Resources (OER), with presenters sharing co-design models, cultural adaptation strategies, and ways to embed OER into sustainable learning communities.
The Forum was officially opened by His Excellency Duma Boko, President of the Republic of Botswana, and featured thought-provoking keynote speeches from distinguished global scholars, including Prof. Peter Scott, President & CEO of COL, and Dr. Rajiv Jhangiani, whose insights resonated deeply with the overarching theme and sub-themes of the Forum.
The University of Kabianga congratulates Dr. David Ngatia and Dr. Florence Kamonjo for their outstanding representation at this prestigious international forum, where their contributions not only elevated the University’s visibility but also reinforced Kenya’s role in shaping the future of open and distance learning globally.