AIOU to strengthen regional offices to improve learning environment

Islamabad: Allama Iqbal Open University (AIOU) at its directors’ conference held on Tuesday decided to strengthen its regional offices and study centers across the country to provide best possible academic facilities and learning environment to its around 1.4 million students.

It was decided that the university’s operation will be gradually shifted from manual to automation system for streamlining the students’ related services and improving quality of education. The event was held through video-conferencing. Vice Chancellor Professor Dr. Zia-Ul-Qayyum presided over the Regional Directors (RD) conference that was arranged by the University’s Directorate of regional services.

It was attended by Deans and heads of services' departments. The conference was aimed at taking necessary steps to facilitate the students in the autumn, 2019 admissions that started on July 15.

The vice chancellor in his concluding remarks announced that the technology would be steering-force behind all the University’s operation. The University has started working on a 15-month roadmap for bringing automation at all levels.

He assured that the technology-based operation will be students’ friendly and it will help to address certain apprehensions about of the working of this mega educational institution. He hoped that the regional directors would put their best efforts in improving credibility and reputation of the University. He announced that there would be zero tolerance for any sort corruption or wrongdoing.

He advised them to strictly follow the academic calendar so that all the process, including mailing of books and examination could take place in time. He announced there will paradigm shift in the appointment of tutors to improve the University’s teaching system.

The RD’s conference during its daylong interactive session took a number of decisions for revamping and restructuring of the regional offices. Various proposals were discussed to improve the administrative and financial matters of the University and upgrading the regional offices, which the Vice Chancellor said are their backbone in providing best efficient services to the masses through distance learning system.

The regional offices will be facilitated and empowered to meet the needs of the students on fast track-basis, he added. It was decided that the aspiring applicants would be facilitated to get them enrolled in the on-admission, which continue till September 4 for Matric and intermediate and August 19 for BS, M.Phil and PhD programmes.

The regional directors thanked the vice chancellor for the steps he has taken for the welfare of the employees and academic staff during the last eight months. Earlier, Director Regional Services Inamullah Sheikh highlighted the objectives of the conferences as well as performance and achievements of the regional offices. He also spoke about the new initiatives and the priorities of the University for its future development.