The distance education component of the Partnership is designed to increase the quality of student education and to support faculty development at each university. This involves the delivery of University courses, teaching, research, and course materials to and from each university. Each university will rely on the comparative teaching expertise located at the other University to improve its own student education. The deployment of distance education and short-term faculty exchange will facilitate the highest possible impact.

UMD to NUR courses will concentrate on science or math that will focus on the training of secondary school teachers, continuing education for secondary school teachers, as well as traditional academic programs. Emphasizing the training of secondary school teachers will serve the dual goals of providing basic science education in the Faculty of Science at the NUR and increasing the proficiency of instruction in secondary schools. 

Introduction to Microsoft Office computer literacy training materials were created in 2002 and are currently being distributed on CD.  These materials are also available online.

Course modules in biology, chemistry, computer science, and physics were developed for this program starting in 2001.  These modules have been used to teach courses at the National University of Rwanda, the University of Maryland, and elsewhere.

In the non-sciences the NUR will be asked to support for UMD GVPT 389: Topics in Comparative Politics: Deadly Conflict and the Promise of Development in Central Africa, scheduled for the Fall term of 2001.  In addition, the UMD has just completed support for the delivery of the ICONS modules to the NUR.

Among the three core activities, Distance Education will require the greatest level of flexibility. In order to affect the greatest impact in the most efficient manner, distance education activities will implement modules for delivery from one university to other. These modules have been designed  with expertise from the NUR.  They address the needs of the NUR and fit within the framework of the NUR.