AIOU holds Open Day

Islamabad
A national competition of new inventions by young researchers and scientists in order to promote their work for the benefit of the society will soon be held at Allama Iqbal Open University (AIOU).
AIOU Vice Chancellor Professor Dr. Shahid Siddiqui announced this while inaugurating university's Open Day that was arranged to introduce new academic courses from the current semester. He hoped that the maximum number of students will join the university to take benefit of them. New admission has already been started which will continue till September 4.
He said in the competition, the young researchers will be invited to hold stalls here in the university's complex to present their inventions. The winner of the completion will be awarded cash prizes. He hoped that students of all the national universities will participate in this activity which is aimed at promoting research culture in the country.
The university will set up special department to develop linkage between academia and industries for promoting such inventions for the benefit of the society and to serve the national cause.
Dr. Shahid Siddiqui said the new academic courses have been designed to meet the students' needs, enabling them to take part in the socio-economic development of the country. The university, he added has planned to launch some online and face-to-face academic programmes, especially in the field of science and technology.
Promotion of applied research is the main focus area, for which an incentive package has already been announced for the university's faculty members. Four new research journals were being published for disseminating the findings of the research, conducted by AIOU in the recent years. Total eight journals were going to be launched by the end of this year.
Meanwhile, hundreds of students attended the open-day that will continue till Thursday. About 50 stalls have been set up to show-case the old and new academic programmes and the books published by the university.
It provided opportunity to the prospective students to get the information on the programs which the university offer, meet the faculty members and visit the departments to know the available academic facilities, laboratories and library which have developed and equipped on most modern lines, taking best use of new technology.
The admissions have been opened from Matric to Ph.D level programmes. The stalls were arranged by the Academic and Services Departments of the university that included books and allied material for the students' guidance, besides special demos by the Services Departments. A lucky draw has also been arranged on the occasion. Winner will be offered complete fee waiver for one semester.