By Philip Machoka

Dr. Philip Machoka, Director of e-Learning, USIU-Africa Online, recently took the stage at the Online Learning Consortium (OLC) Accelerate 2023 conference in Washington DC to present on "A Model for Success in e-Learning for Africa." The conference, with the theme "Creating Connections: Uniting Learners through Collaboration and Creativity”, served as a platform to showcase collaborative efforts and innovative solutions in the realm of online education.

Dr. Machoka's presentation was co-authored with Prof. Onesimus Otieno, a former Carnegie Fellow at USIU-Africa and the Lead Trainer for Online Pedagogy with the Mastercard Foundation e-Learning Initiative. Together, they highlighted a model that underscores the vital role of partnerships between various entities, including Mastercard Foundation, Arizona State University, USIU-Africa, Quality Matters, Media-Valet, the Carnegie Foundation, and nine other universities spanning Africa, the Middle East, and Central America.

This scalable model aims to build capacity in Instructional Design and Online Pedagogy, ultimately facilitating the delivery of high-quality online academic programs at the university level across the African continent. Their mission aligns perfectly with the Mastercard Foundation's Young Africa Works strategy, which aims to empower 30 million African youth with dignified and fulfilling job opportunities by the year 2030 and so far, the initiative has already touched the lives of 7 million young Africans.

The presentation was made possible through the support of the Carnegie African Diaspora Fellowship Program (CADFP) and is a significant part of their roster of key events slated for 2024.

This presentation by Dr. Machoka and Prof. Otieno is a testament to the power of collaboration and innovation in advancing e-learning in Africa. Their work signifies a significant step towards ensuring quality education is accessible to all.