UK’s Open University team visits AIOU

Islamabad

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

The visit, sponsored by the British Council in Islamabad, 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 Mrs. Anna Childs on their arrival at the university’s main campus were welcomed by Vice Chancellor Professor Dr. Shahid Siddiqui. The delegation was apprised of 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 here, 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 remarks praised UK Open University for its solid contribution in establishing AIOU in 1974 at its initial stage.

The UK OU first in the world and AIOU first in Asia maintained close liaison for many years in popularising open distance learning. The idea of establishing an open university in Pakistan under an Act of Parliament was brought from UK by former Prime Minister Shaheed Zulfiaqar Ali Buhtto to fight out illiteracy.

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

The delegation lauded the AIOU’s achievements in the recent years and noted that it made significance progress in all relevant fields. It hoped their visit will be productive one in helping to achieve future goals.

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