Open University of Mauritius

What Open University of Mauritius does

The Open University of Mauritius is a state-owned public university established on 12 July 2012 under the Open University of Mauritius Act 2010, evolving from the Mauritius College of the Air (1971). It is the only public open and distance learning (ODL) institution in Mauritius, operating from its Réduit headquarters and a second campus in Curepipe (OUCC Forest Side) with 194 employees. The university delivers Foundation, Undergraduate, Postgraduate, PhD, and DBA programmes across law, education, management, IT, media, social sciences, and specialised diplomas (e.g., Diploma in Meteorology with Mauritius Meteorological Services), enrolling over 13,000 learners and producing 11,000+ alumni as of 2025.

The technology stack centres on a Blackboard Ultra Learning Management System, a Student Information Management System (SIMS), an OUPortal powered by AcademiaERP, an e-Library with 500,000+ e-books and 45,000+ e-journal titles (subscriptions to Elsevier, Emerald, EBSCOhost, ProQuest, Thomson Reuters Westlaw, and Research4Life), and a broadcast-quality Audio-Video Production Unit. A revamped version of these platforms launched in May 2025 includes AI-enabled early detection of learner weaknesses for targeted academic support. The university also operates a bespoke Diploma in Meteorology delivered with Mauritius Meteorological Services and an employability-skills short-course portfolio.

The business model combines tuition fees (tiered for Mauritian, SADC, and international students at Foundation through Doctoral levels), application fees (Rs 1,000 / USD 40), module exemption processing fees (Rs 2,500 per module), chargeable Audio-Video Production services to ministries and parastatals (MUR 10,000–25,000 per session), and external library memberships (Rs 2,500–10,000 / USD 100–500). Distribution is hybrid: a self-serve online application portal for individual learners, international recruitment via education fairs in Zambia and Zimbabwe co-organised with the Economic Development Board and Ministry of Tertiary Education, licensing of OU programmes through Botswana Open University and NAMCOL, and a direct sales channel for government / parastatal B2B services. Over 20 international academic partnerships (Imperial College London, University of South Africa, Commonwealth of Learning, Charles Sturt University, Indira Gandhi National Open University, and others) underpin programme co-development and faculty training.

Name

Open University of Mauritius

Legal name

Open University of Mauritius

Website

https://open.ac.mu

Company type

Private

Founded year

2012

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

The Open University of Mauritius is the only public open and distance learning university in Mauritius, delivering Foundation to PhD/DBA programmes to 13,000+ learners across Mauritius, SADC, and international markets via Blackboard Ultra LMS, SIMS, and a 500,000+ title e-Library, supplemented by Audio-Video Production services to government and parastatal clients.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Higher Education (Open and Distance Learning)

NAICS

Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113), Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (611310), Educational Support Services (611710)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Fully Online Universities (Online-First, Degree-Granting) (EDAHALAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Online International & Cross-Border Universities (Global/Transnational Providers) (EDAHALAL), Online/Hybrid Lifelong Learning Platforms & Open Enrollment Programs (EDAAAEAL)

Keywords

• Distance higher education
• Open learning programmes
• Online university degrees
• Postgraduate distance learning
• Foundation university programmes

Headquarters

HQ city

Réduit

HQ country

Mauritius

HQ region

Africa

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Tuition Fees: Course fees collected from students for various programmes at Foundation, Undergraduate, Postgraduate, and Doctoral levels. Fees vary by programme level and student origin (Mauritian, SADC, or International)
2. Application Fees: Non-refundable application fees charged during the admission process. Mauritian/SADC/IORA citizens: Rs 1,000; Non-SADC/IORA citizens: USD 40
3. Exemption Processing Fees: Administrative fee of Rs 2,500 per module charged for processing requests for module exemptions
4. Audio-Video Production Services: Chargeable AVP services offered to ministries, government bodies, and parastatal institutions including studio recording, on-location video recording, video/audio editing, and media duplication services
5. External Library Membership: Library access fees charged to external users: 1 month Rs 2,500 (USD 100), 6 months Rs 5,000 (USD 200), 1 year Rs 10,000 (USD 500)

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

The Open University of Mauritius delivers higher education through open and distance learning, offering Foundation, Undergraduate, Postgraduate, and Doctorate (PhD/DBA) programmes across disciplines such as law, education, management, IT, media, and social sciences. Programmes are delivered via the Blackboard Ultra LMS, SIMS, and OULearn portal, supported by a 24/7 digital E-Library and an in-house Audio-Video Production unit. The university also sells ancillary AVP services to government bodies and provides external library memberships.

Product overview

The Open University of Mauritius offers a comprehensive portfolio of educational products and services through an open and distance learning model. The core offering includes Foundation, Undergraduate, Postgraduate, and Doctorate programmes (PhD/DBA) across disciplines such as law, education, management, IT, media, and social sciences. The technology infrastructure consists of the Blackboard Ultra Learning Management System (LMS), Student Information Management System (SIMS), OULearn Blackboard portal, and OUPortal for student management. Supporting services include an E-Library with over 500,000 e-books and 45,000 e-journals, Audio-Visual Production Services, and Employability Skills short courses. The university operates a blended learning model combining online distance education with flexible delivery options.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Foundation Programmes
• Undergraduate Programmes
• Postgraduate Programmes
• Doctorate Programmes (PhD / DBA)
• Employability Skills Courses
• Other Professional Courses (Hotel Management, Legal Studies, Police Studies)
• E-Library Services
• Audio-Visual Production (AVP) Services

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 13,000 learners enrolled
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability1 record

Feature5 records

Partnerships

30 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Partenariat Hubert Curien Le Réduit (PHC France-Maurice)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019Bilateral scientific cooperation programme signed 18 July 2019 between France and Mauritius. PHC Le Réduit launches annual calls for joint research projects supporting mobility of researchers. Open University participates in the 6th call for 2026 with priority in applied sciences, health, biotechnology, and digital education.
• Imperial College LondoncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration with Imperial College London (ranked among top ten universities globally) for conducting training programmes for medical doctors and specialists. Imperial College team also assists OU in setting up a School of Public Health.
• Commonwealth of Learning (COL)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCOL acted as facilitator for development of MBA programmes in consortium with partner institutions in the Commonwealth to increase access to higher education through open and distance learning.
• Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh (RCPE)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for conducting training programmes for medical doctors and specialists alongside Imperial College London.
• University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-hosted three international conferences (e-MIG) with UKZN, strengthening global academic partnerships. Joint conference: Global Trends in Management, IT and Governance in an e-World.
• Stockholm UniversityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational academic partnership for collaborative educational initiatives.
• University of California, San DiegominorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational academic partnership for educational collaboration.
• University of South Africa (UNISA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational partnership with Africa's largest open university for collaborative open and distance learning initiatives.
• Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport (UK)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational professional body partnership for logistics and transport education.
• Open University of TanzaniaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional partnership with fellow open university for knowledge sharing.
• Open University of Sri LankaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional partnership with fellow open university in South Asia.
• Charles Sturt UniversityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational academic partnership with Australian university.
• African Virtual University (AVU)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Pan-African organization promoting open and distance learning across Africa.
• Indira Gandhi National Open University (India)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational partnership with India's premier open university for educational collaboration.
• Southern African Regional Universities Association (SARUA)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMembership in regional association for distance education collaboration in Southern Africa.
• Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with regional economic community for educational initiatives.
• Wawasan Open University (Malaysia)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational partnership with Malaysian open university for educational collaboration.
• University Canada WestminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational academic partnership with Canadian university.
• British School of EtiquetteminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for professional development and etiquette training programmes.
• Mauritius Meteorological ServicescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration to deliver Diploma in Meteorology for Meteorological Technicians. Bespoke programme designed for trainee technicians with induction sessions conducted at MMS facilities.
• Landscope (Mauritius) LtdminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal partnership for collaborative initiatives.
• Human Resource Development Council (HRDC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal government body partnership for human resource development initiatives.
• Mahatma Gandhi InstitutecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHost venue for convocation ceremonies and collaborative events including the Higher Education Summit 2025.
• Economic Development Board of MauritiuscoreGTM or Marketing PartnerGovernment partnership for organizing international marketing fairs in Africa to attract foreign learners to OU programmes.
• Ministry of Tertiary Education, Science and ResearchcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerGovernment ministry under which OU operates, collaborating on international education marketing and promotion activities.
• Association of Commonwealth UniversitiescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInstitutional membership in global association of Commonwealth universities.
• International Council for Open and Distance EducationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInstitutional membership in global organization for open and distance education.
• African Council for Distance EducationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInstitutional membership in African body for distance education.
• Botswana Open UniversityminorOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing PartnerLicensing agreement for OU programmes to be delivered through Botswana Open University.
• The Namibian College for Open Learning (NAMCOL)minorOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing PartnerLicensing agreement for OU programmes to be delivered through NAMCOL in Namibia.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Open University of Sri Lanka: Sri Lanka's public open university providing distance learning programmes. An OU international partner operating a directly comparable model in South Asia.
• Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU): India's premier open university and one of the largest in the world by enrolment. Offers a comparable portfolio of foundation to PhD programmes via distance learning and is a current international partner of OU.
• Open University of Tanzania: Tanzania's public open and distance learning university delivering certificate to doctoral programmes. Directly comparable mission and operating model to OU, and listed as an OU international partner.
• Wawasan Open University: Malaysia's private open university delivering flexible distance learning programmes across foundation, undergraduate and postgraduate levels. Listed as an OU international partner and operates a comparable blended ODL model in Asia.
• University of South Africa (UNISA): Africa's largest open distance learning university with hundreds of thousands of students. UNISA is OU's closest direct peer — both are public open universities offering foundation, undergraduate, postgraduate and doctoral programmes via distance learning, and OU has a formal international partnership with UNISA.
• Botswana Open University: Botswana's public open university offering distance learning programmes. OU already licences programmes to be delivered through BOU, making it both a peer and a channel partner in Southern Africa.
• The Namibian College for Open Learning (NAMCOL): Namibia's open and distance learning institution offering secondary and tertiary programmes. OU has a licensing agreement to deliver programmes through NAMCOL, making it both a peer and a delivery partner in Southern Africa.

Emerging players

• Athabasca University: Canada's leading online university offering accredited distance learning programmes. Comparable to OU in its online-first delivery and international student focus, though operating in a different regulatory and market context.

Broad incumbents

• Open University (UK): The founding global leader in open distance learning, with significantly larger scale and brand recognition. A benchmark incumbent that defines the ODL category in which OU competes, particularly for international students seeking UK-accredited credentials.

Regional players

• African Virtual University (AVU): Pan-African organisation promoting open and distance learning across the continent. OU is a partner of AVU; it serves as a regional peer addressing similar African learner segments with comparable distance-learning programmes.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UC4qC_78c1FgN7XJrccV2VXg
• Facebookfacebook.com/openuniversitymauritius
• Instagraminstagram.com/open_university_of_mauritius
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/school/openuniversitymauritius

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles13 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Open University of Mauritius