Peter Knight worked from 24 September through 7 October 2000 with the Vice Chancellor of Zimbabwe Open University (ZOU), the Deans, Directors of Regional Offices, and other managers and staff to sharpen and focus the University's Strategic plan for the years 2001-2004. This involved a series of workshops, interviews, and field visits to three of ZOU's ten regional offices. Contacts were made with other institutions in Harare, including the University of Zimbabwe, the Ministry of Education, the World Bank, the World Links for Development program, UNESCO, and several other organizations. This initial work was funded by a grant from the United States Department of State. 

A rough draft of a funding proposal for implementing the plan and funding its key capital expenditures was prepared. Peter Knight is now working with the Vice Chancellor, Professor K. Peter Dzvimbo, to mobilize funding from external sources.  

The key objective of  the first two years is to update and expand the teaching materials for the ZOU's principal degree programs, converting them to web-based formats, to establish broadband IP connectivity between ZOU's Harare campus and the backbone of the Internet in the US and Europe, and to link the ten regional centers via broadband landlines. Beginning in 2003 the key objective is to establish a VSAT hub on a new Harare campus and establish a network of 1000 learning centers linked by two-way VSAT terminals using small antennas. The learning centers would be financed by strategic allies of ZOU, tentatively including units of the Ministry of Education, Ministry of Health, Ministry of Agriculture, other ministries, private sector firms, non-governmental organizations, and churches.  

Knight-Moore Telematics for Education and Development would be the external contractor for the training component in both stages of the project as currently envisaged. See a brief description of the project for which funding is now being sought.

Here are some photos taken during the September-October visit to Zimbabwe..

Professor Dr. Peter Dzvimbo, Vice Chancellor of ZOU	African Virtual University's classroom at the University of Zimbabwe -- ZOU seeks to access to AVU's library, and possibly full membership
ZOU Professor, Dr. Morgan Chawawa with staff of the WorLD project and Dehab Gebrezew, Department of State Public Affairs Officer, in Masvingo, near one of ZOU's regional offices	Ted Sells, Director of Audio Visual department, Ministry of Education and Eliada Gudza, WorLD Zimbabwe National Coordinator, with "Big Blue", a mobile computer lab and audio-visual demonstration center
Peter Knight makes a wrap-up presentation in the ZOU Boardroom on 6 October 2000	Vice Chancellor K. Peter Dzvimbo and colleagues participate in the discussion of the presentation