Moalims

ISLAMABAD: A two-member delegation of World’s first Open University (OU) established in United Kingdom (UK) in 1969 visited Allama Iqbal Open University (AIOU) to share its expertise and experience to boost up accessible quality education.

The visit was sponsored by the British Council in the federal capital was aimed at helping the AIOU in carrying out its consolidation plan, improving its academic ranking and providing best possible services to the students.

Senior British academicians Dr Nicholas Richard Watson and Anna Childs on their arrival at the university’s main campus were welcomed by the Vice Chancellor (VC) Prof Dr Shahid Siddiqui. The delegation was informed about the AIOU’s future development plan that includes promoting innovative applied research, updating curriculum and course materials, professional development, strengthening students’ support system and improving delivery system through smart use of technology.

During its five-day stay, the delegation will hold ‘Scoping Study’ to understand the working of AIOU and to suggest ways and means for its further improvement. Dr Shahid Siddiqui in his welcome address praised UK Open University for its solid contribution in establishing AIOU in 1974 at its initial stage.

The UK Open University is first in the world and AIOU in first in Asia that maintained close liaison for many years in popularising open distance learning. The idea of establishing Open University in Pakistan under an Act of Parliament was brought from UK by former prime minister Zulfiaqar Ali Buhtto to fight out illiteracy.

Dr Siddiqui said that AIOU has achieved its stipulated targets in bringing a large number of country’s population in the educational net adding that its annual enrollment has now jumped to 1.3 million with a huge infrastructure network. He said that now the university is focusing on research work and promoting E-learning. He said, “We are working on a plan to convert AIOU into E-learning university through a gradual process.”

Dr Siddiqui further said that they have taken it as their mission to transform the life of the people through education and now they are actively engaged in proving affordable and accessible education to the people through technology-supported distance learning. The delegation lauded the AIOU’s achievements in the recent years and noted that it made significance progress in all the relevant fields. It is hoped that their visit will be productive in helping to achieve future goals.

Dr Shahid Siddiqui said that they are looking forward to resume their previous collaboration with UK OU making the non-formal education more effective in conducting research work on society-related issues and enhancing literacy rate in the country.

The delegation was given detailed presentation on the university’s working by the, Directorate of Overseas Education & E-Learning Director Majid Rashid.

The delegation also took round of various departments to get first-hand knowledge of the university’s recent developments. It will be holding separate meetings with heads of various departments for conducting ‘scoping study’ of the university’s working.

News Reference