Universities master-trainers visit AIOU

Islamabad

To get themselves acquainted with the new initiatives, recently taken for provision of quality education through distance learning system, master trainers-faculty members of country’s major educational institutions visited Allama Iqbal Open University (AIOU), on Thursday.

The visit was the part of 30th Master Trainers-Faculty Professional Development Programme, undertaken by the Learning Innovation Division of the High Higher Education (HEC). 

The AIOU’s Vice Chancellor Professor Dr. Shahid Siddiqui while briefing on the university’s learning system and its recent achievements said the promotion of applied-research and professional development have been the prime area of their interest to serve the society.

The VC briefed them about the new academic programmes that were introduced recently keeping in view the socio-economic needs of the country. He told the visitors that the AIOU was the brain-child of the visionary leader Zulfikar Ali Bhutto who conceived the idea to combat illiteracy through non-formal system. The university employees worked vigorously to get implemented this idea, and as today it enrolment has reached to about 1.3 million.

Appreciating the HEC’s initiative of producing professional teachers, he said the teachers’ community need to work as reflective practitioners to bring positive change in the life of the students and the society as a whole. He emphasised that they should continuously endeavour updating themselves with fast-changing development in the educational sector.

The master-trainer programme was designed to equip the higher education teaching faculty with the principles of professional teaching and research skills required for effective teaching and research. The faculty members developed as Master Trainers will disseminate similar training in their respective institutions either as resource person or coordinator.

The university’s senior faculty members, Dean Education Dr. Nasir Mahmood, Dr. Naveeda Sultana and Dr. Zahid Majeed, also addressed the visitors.

Earlier, HEC Director (Learning Innovation) Muhammad Shabbir Baig highlighted the main features of the training programme and said it will help develop commitment among the teachers to keep up high professional standard in their teaching practices.