The Institute for Open Learning (IOL) has undergone a transformation and strategic repositioning. This transition has allowed for all current student support services to be offered through digital platforms.

The implementation of Microsoft 365 has been successfully rolled out, enabling cross-platform collaboration for remote learning and teaching via email, group collaboration, and various chat tools, all of which are offered free of charge to IOL students. Through these digital platforms, students can continue to engage with the head office.

Effective 15 August 2022, Microsoft 365 (O365) became the primary communication and collaboration platform for all IOL students. Therefore, all students must have their accounts activated and functioning. This implementation will provide every tutor, academic staff, and student with access to Microsoft 365 on all their devices, including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneNote, Microsoft Teams, and free classroom tools.

All activities and correspondence related to the program of activities, including the final assignment and examination results, will be released via Microsoft Office 365, as well as any other important information. Once your results are ready for release, an email notification will be sent to your student email address.
It is important to note that IOL no longer sends SMS messages to students as of 15 August 2022.

You can view your complete academic record on your student portal, under the academic results tab. The semester mark (SM) will reflect your assignment result, while the examination mark (EM) will indicate your examination result, and the Final Mark (FM) will represent your final result. Please note that Microsoft 365 is not intended to replace or substitute the IOL Student Portal. Rather, it is a communication tool aimed at improving and facilitating communication channels between IOL staff, tutors, students, and the SRC.

This means that, as an active IOL student, you will have access to the latest version of the full office productivity suite, free of charge. This suite comprises various programs, including Word, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint, Teams, One Note, and several other applications that are available for both online and offline use.

What does this mean for you?
• Install Office 365 on up to five (5) compatible PCs and Macs,
plus five (5) tablets (including iPad);
• Use it with OneDrive to automatically sync all your devices;
• Gain valuable skills on the world’s most popular productivity
software; and
• Use the same programmes as IOL to ensure full file fidelity.

Follow these simple steps to get your Office 365:

For PC and Mac:
• Log onto the IOL Student Portal;
• Click on the Office 365 icon;
• You will receive a text message with your username and
password;
• Sign in with the IOL credentials and download;
• On the installation page, select your language and install.

For iOS and Android:
• Download Office 365 from your app store:
• Sign in with the IOL credentials for full editing capability.
• To activate account, send an SMS to 711, with keyword O365,
and your student number.
• To access Microsoft Office 365, click sign in and enter the email
address and password provided by IOL. If you have any trouble, please contact the IOL call centre on 061 270 9100 or email: info@iol.na