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Ezra Maritim

Chairman of Council

Prof.Ezra Maritim

The Open University of Kenya (OUK) represents a strategic investment in the transformation of higher education in Kenya and the wider region. As the country’s first fully online public university, OUK is uniquely positioned to expand access to quality university education, advance digital innovation and contribute to the development of a knowledge-driven economy.

Official statement

Professional biography

Prof. Ezra Maritim holds a PhD in Education (1979) and an M.Ed. (1975), both from Harvard University, and a BA from the University of Nairobi (1973). He had a distinguished academic and leadership career at Kenyatta University where he served in various senior roles including Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Finance, Planning and Development). He also served on secondment as Deputy Secretary at the Kenya National Examinations Council (KNEC) from 1983 to 1990.

His extensive contributions to higher education include serving as Deputy Coordinator of the World Bank-supported University Investment Project, Deputy Secretary at the Commission for Higher Education, and Vice-Chancellor of Egerton University. He chaired the Technical Working Committee for the Operationalization of the Open University of Kenya and has contributed to policy development and community engagement through various educational boards.

Regionally, Prof. Maritim worked as a consultant for the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) on the development of the Kigali Institute of Education and distance learning programmes. He also served as a visiting professor at the University of South Africa and The Open University of Tanzania.

In addition, he coordinated the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Centre of Specialization in Open and Distance Learning for Teacher Education in Dar es Salaam.

Academic matrix

Qualifications

  • Doctor of Education, Harvard University
  • Master of Education, Harvard University
  • BA, University of Nairobi

Core specialisations

  • Institutional Governance
  • Digital Pedagogy
  • Higher Education Policy

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