Moalims

ISLAMABAD: Allama Iqbal Open University (AIOU) has decided to expand its broadcasting network throughout the country for promoting distance learning and facilitating its 1.3 million students to get education through radio about their relevant academic courses.

Speaking at a media dialogue programmed held at the university on Thursday, renowned broadcaster and columnist Raza Ali Abidi appreciated the university's contribution in promoting distance learning programme and taking benefit of new media-based technology.

AIOU Vice Chancellor Dr Shahid Siddiqui said that the university's FM transmitter boosters will be installed in the country's major cities and the network will be extended to the remote regions. He said that the university's FM's radio live-broadcast's timing has been enhanced and now it could be listened till late at night. The students are also being facilitated through audio/video support to ensure better results in their exams, he said adding that the university is also in process of installing its own educational TV channel.

He underlined the need of bridging gap between education and commercial media network to make the interest of radio's listening alive. Hoping the students will develop their association with this mode of leaning in their educational pursuits, he announced that the university will arrange a media conference in early next year to seek the support of the media industry for projection of research-based innovative and creative ideas and to enlarge scope of multi-media's use in distance learning.

The vice chancellor lauded Raza Ali Abidi for his contribution in the field of broadcasting, who, he added emerged as popular broadcaster world-wide through his BBC Urdu service's programme. Earlier, Department of Mass Communication Chairman Dr Syed Abdul Siraj highlighted the number of series recently started by the university to promote social, literacy and cultural activities.

News Reference