The University of South Africa and the British Open University

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Introduction
Institutions of distance education started with a similar focus of bringing higher education to students unable to participate in traditional universities. Though similar these schools are not cookie-cutter reproductions of each other. This paper will compare and contrast the University of South Africa (UNISA) located in the developing country South Africa, to that of The British Open University (OU) established in the United Kingdom, a developed country, over six dimensions: mission, population, historical background/organization, values inherent to the school, model of teaching and technology. This paper will also illustrate that the author has complete the required readings and conducted independent research.
Mission
The UNISA Mission:
UNISA is a comprehensive, open distance learning institution that produces excellent scholarship and research, provides quality tuition and fosters active community engagement. We are guided by the principles of lifelong learning, student centeredness, innovation and creativity. Our efforts contribute to the knowledge and information society, advance development, nurtures a critical citizenry and ensures global sustainability (UNISA, 2012a, para 3).
The OU Mission:
“The Open University's mission is to be open to people, places, methods and ideas (The Open University, 2014c, par 1).”

Each institutions mission addresses the need to serve students who are otherwise unable to participate in higher education. The brevity of the OU mission is accompanied by the statement “we promote education opportunity and social justice” (The Open University, 2014c, para 1) which is echoed in UNISA’s vision statement stating students will not be turned away based on social class (UNISA, 2012...

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...sp?Cmd=ViewContent&ContentID=18121
Unisa Online (2013a). The History of Unisa [Web page]. Retrieved from The University of South Africa website: http://www.unisa.ac.za/140/index.php/history/
Unisa Online (2013b). Unisa is changing. Prepare for the change.[Web page]. Retrieved from The University of South Africa website: http://www.unisa.ac.za/Default.asp?Cmd=ViewContent&ContentID=95957
Unisa Online (2014). Facts and Figures [Web page]. Retrieved from The University of South Africa website: http://www.unisa.ac.za/Default.asp?Cmd=ViewContent&ContentID=18123
Van Zyl,D, & Barnes G. ( 2012). An institutional profile of Unisa: Unisa facts and figures (Department of Institutional Statistics and Analysis) Retrieved from University of South Africa website : http://heda.unisa.ac.za/filearchive/Facts%20&%20Figures/Briefing%20Report%20Unisa%20Facts%20&%20Figures%2020120215.pdf

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