Zimbabwe Open University

National Development Plan (1991–1995) stated:The University of Zimbabwe, which was the single university in the country at that time, could not cope with the demand for university education. Two commissions were established: the Williams Commission (1981) and the Zimbabwe Open University Feasibility Study (1986). In July 1994, a committee was formed to investigate the development of university distance education. The commission recommended that there is need for distance education at university level to upgrade skills and "to provide a continuing education facility for the adult population". Based on these recommendations the Center for Distance Education (CDE) of the University of Zimbabwe was formed in 1993. In 1996, it became the University College of Distance Education (UCDE) and finally renamed to Zimbabwe Open University (ZOU) on March 1, 1999 by an Act of Parliament. The first Vice-Chancellor was Professor Peter Dzvimbo.Below is a table showing student enrollment in the Zimbabwe Open University from 1999 to 2003:The year 2001 marked the increase of the enrollment figures to 23,161. It was because Commerce degrees were introduced that year. There was a decline in student enrollment in 2002 because some found independent learning difficult and many students faced economic difficulties. In 2003, a total of 19,228 students were enrolled in the university which constituted 46.9% of the total university enrolment in the country. According to 2006 estimates, approximately 20,000 students are enrolled in the university which makes it the largest university in Zimbabwe.