University in Brief OUM is a leading open and distance learning (ODL) university in Malaysia; set up to make higher education much more flexible, affordable and accessible for everyone, especially working adults. This is in line with its philosophy of democratising education and its tagline, “Dare to Dream Bigger.” Incorporated as a private university under the Private Higher Educational Institutions Act 1996, OUM was established on 10 August 2000. It leverages on the prestige, quality and capabilities of a consortium comprising the first 11 public universities in the country.

The University encourages and enables all individuals regardless of age, location and socioeconomic background to work and study at the same time through its flexible entry system and learning methods. OUM was the first private institution of higher education to be granted approval by the Ministry of Higher Education (MOHE) to implement the Open Entry System in Malaysia in 2006. Later renamed Flexible Entry, it enables individuals with relevant prior knowledge and working experience to enrol in the academic programme of their choice through Accreditation of Prior Experiential Learning (APEL).

For its teaching and learning process, the University employs a blended pedagogy which combines face-to-face tutorials with self-study (supplement with the modules and video-based courseware and lectures) and online forums.

From just 4 academic programmes when it first opened its doors to learners in 2001, the University currently offers about 43 programmes. It has a cumulative intake of more than 170,000 learners who come from diverse backgrounds. Thus far, it has produced approximately 80,000 graduates.