This paper presents a study on the features and patterns of teaching and learning innovations in open and distance learning universities. The study covers 19 universities across the globe. Based on the information from their institutional websites, the teaching and learning innovations claimed by the universities were identified and categorised into five primary types: programmes or courses, teaching and learning approaches and activities, educational technologies, assessment approaches and activities, and units established in the universities to foster teaching and learning innovations. Technological innovation has been identified as a core element that shapes the formation of teaching and learning innovations, and relevant units established in the universities have been shown to serve as an incubator for technological innovation. These findings offer insights into the development and implementation of teaching and learning innovations in open and distance universities to cope with various contextual and environmental factors.