Islamabad: Ninety-five students of Allama Iqbal Open University (AIOU) including two disabled from KPK on Wednesday received laptops under Prime Minister’s youth scheme. The Higher Education Commission (HEC) has earmarked total 2500 laptops for the AIOU’s students of PhD, MPhil and MS-level.
The scheme was being implemented on country-wide basis in accordance with the criteria, set by the HEC, said Vice Chancellor Prof. Dr. Shahid Siddiqui while addressing a laptops’ distribution ceremony.
At first stage, students of Rawalpindi and Islamabad received the award and later the distribution took place among the students of Multan, AJK and Lahore and Gujranwala. The students of Quetta, Karachi and Gilgit will also receive the same next month.
It was the third consecutive phase that University’s students were included in PM’s scheme. Dr. Shahid Siddiqui reiterated his pledge to develop the University as a center of research-based activities.
He appreciated the hard work of the students, stating that they desired the honour. The University, he said received enjoys top position among the country’s educational institutions in term of enrolment that reached to 1.3 million, among those 56 percent are females, mostly belonged to remote regions.
Dr. Shahid Siddiqui shared with the laptops’ recipients the University’s academic achievements in the recent years, particularly developing it as research-based institution. They have published fourteen brand new journals and arranged twenty-three national and international conferences during last two and half years.
Special focus was also laid on professional development, students’ support system and revision of curriculum. Qualitative improvement was brought about in admission, examination and books’ mailing system.
He also apprised the students about community’s welfare projects undertaken in the recent years that included provision of free education to all categories of disabled, prisoners and drop-out students.
He hoped that the laptops will help them to undertake innovative and applied research work to serve the society. The ceremony was also addressed by Director Regional Affairs Dr. Arif Saleem Arif and Director Students’ advisory services Rana Tariq Javed. The students thanked the VC for his personal efforts in strengthening the students' support system.
