Participants in the first working group noted that increasing student access requires greater flexibility from institutions in terms of providing multiple entry and exit levels for programmes. Institutions also have a responsibility to provide multiple delivery modes and formats including access to local resource centres, which as well as providing access to content are also valuable in terms of providing access to a reliable electricity supply and quiet rooms for study. The importance of recognition of course qualifications from institution to institution, and across borders was also stressed.

The definition of participation varies from context to context; it can refer both to active participation in a classroom context, but also to reaching out to the marginalized sections of a community. Participants agreed that the key to success is the provision of student services which harness and develop motivation, including through the use of mobile technologies and easily accessible individualized human support. Staff must be incentivized to provide support and to track and follow up on those students who are not meeting minimum course requirements.

Discussions on the skills set required by students in the digital age highlighted amongst others project management skills, reflective thinking, problem solving skills and an appreciation of effective teamwork as major needs.

In summarizing the discussions, group rapporteur, Dr. Fred Simiyu Barasa, Executive Director of the ACDE noted that the improvement of levels of participation and student success is dependent upon a move from a teacher or content centred mode to a student centred approach to the way in which the curriculum is organized and delivered.

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