Vice Chancellor Message
Message From The Vice Chancellor
Welcome to Allama Iqbal Open University, the largest university of Asia in distance education, which primarily focuses on the educational needs of masses by providing quality education at their doorsteps all over the country and by blurring spatial and temporal boundaries. Currently, the university offers unique educational opportunities to a huge proportion of 1.4 million students in a diverse and dynamic range of programs starting from Matriculation to the PhD level.
The University exclusively focuses on enhancing female literacy ratio in the country so that women can perform their vital role in the process of national progress and development. The university takes same special initiatives for the underprivileged and marginalized segments of the society not only for their economic empowerment but also for poverty alleviation in the country.
The university’s academic staff is constantly engaged in the process of curriculum revision to meet the challenges of ever changing dynamics of higher education. We are committed to provide state of the art facilities to our students by opening up new portals of academic and professional excellence.
I wish you a successful and promising educational journey with AIOU
Prof. Dr. Zia Ul-Qayyum
(Vice-Chancellor)
(Vice-Chancellor)
History of AIOU
Brief History
The Allama Iqbal Open University was established in May, 1974, with the main objectives of providing educational opportunities to masses and to those who cannot leave their homes and jobs. During all these past years, the University has more than fulfilled this promise.The AIOU, when established in 1974, was the second Open University in the world and first in Asia and Africa. It, thus, speaks of the foresight of the policy-makers of that time. As these past years of AIOU have proved, Distance Education has opened up new opportunities for millions, particularly women, and supplemented the efforts of the federal and provincial governments in a big way and that too without becoming a burden on their resources.
The Allama Iqbal Open University was established in May 1974 under Act No. XXXIX passed by the Parliament of Pakistan. It was initially named as the People’s Open University, renamed as Allama Iqbal Open University in 1977 at the eve of the first centenary of the national poet and philosopher, Allama Muhammad Iqbal. The idea of an "open university" was presented with the enunciation of broad principles in the Education Policy of 1972-80, in these words:
"Open Universities are being used in several countries to provide education and training to people who cannot leave their homes and jobs for full time studies. An open university will, therefore, be established to provide part-time educational facilities through correspondence courses, tutorials, seminars, workshops, laboratories, television and radio broadcasts and other mass communication media…."
Objectives
Salient Features
Allama Iqbal Open University, since its establishment has been providing and expanding its educational and training facilities to help working people and females to enhance their qualification and occupational skills. Main features of AIOU may be described as under: Institutional Profile
Operating semester system offered twice a year i.e. Spring and Autumn.
The biggest university in the country with average student enrolment of more than 1.2 million per year.
More than 2000 courses being offered.
9 regional campuses, 33 regional centres, 41 approved study centres (for face-to-face programs) and 138 part-time regional coordinating offices.
1172 Study Centres are established throughout Pakistan.
The largest publishing house in Pakistan printing over 1.8 million books annually.
More emphasis on science and technology by introducing programmes in disciplines like Physics, Agriculture Extension, Livestock Management and Nutrition, Forestry Extension, Computer Science. Collaborating with private sector in establishing study centres to provide coaching and practical training in the fields of Computer Science and Management Sciences.
The largest Teacher Education institution in Pakistan with average enrolment of above 400,000 Students
The first university in Pakistan to establish the student Database.
Computerization at main campus and the regions by provision of around 700 PCs.
Provision of networking facilities between the main campus and the region to exchange data/information and redressal of students’ complaints.
Provision of Internet service at the main campus.
Collaboration with Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission (PAEC) for providing lab facilities to AIOU students.
Establishment of Resource Centre for Basic Functional Education (mainly for illiterates), Literacy and Post Literacy materials.
Pioneer institution in Pakistan to offer post-graduate level programmes in Special Education.
The only institution in the country offering post-graduate programmes in Educational Planning and Management.
Introduction of Master’s, M.Phil and Ph.D. programmes to develop professionals and enhance research capabilities in teaching and research institutions.
Well established Institute of Educational Technology (IET) having in-house facilities for production of TV, Radio and non-broadcast programmes.
“AIOU Magazine” is a regular television programme produced in IET studios and telecast fortnightly from PTV-National on the first and the third Mondays of each month. This feature programme includes reports of latest academic and co-curricular activities happening during the month. The university is having its own FM radio and live FM radio transmission are being made available for AIOU students. (Vice Chancellor’s Annual Report 2012 Pg.# 157)
Establishment of Endowment Fund with initial amount Rs.15 million, in 1997, now reached over Rs.4 Billion (Vice Chancellor’s Annual Report 2012 Pg.# 194) used for the development activities like:
Staff development.
Purchase of land for regional centres, construction of hostels for students
Construction of buildings of regional centres, academic blocks, multipurpose centre with 43 buidlings (owned/ rented/leased)
Networking of regions with the main campus.
Establishing data base at the main campus.
Purchase of furniture, transport for students.
Establishment of students assistance fund to help deserving students in payment of fees.
Provision of free education in the University for its employees and their sons and daughters
Student Profile
More than 70 percent students employed.
Female enrolment more than 50 percent.
The rural-urban distribution of the students 58% and 42% respectively.
No age limit for enrolment in University programmes.
A student can continue at his own pace from semester to semester.
At present a large number of clientele is in SSC, Intermediate, Bachelor and Teacher Education porgrammes. However for the last few years the university has been emphasizing more on higher education.
AIOU has the facility available for learners to enroll for the course(s) of his choice at a particular level.
Awards
Earned UNESCO NOMA award and Raja Roy Sing award for innovative strategies for imparting literacy to the rural masses
Organization of Allama Iqbal Open University Pakistan
Organization
The President of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is the Chancellor of the Allama Iqbal Open University. The Federal Minister for Education is the Pro-Chancellor and the Vice-Chancellor of the University is its principal executive and academic officer.
AIOU being an academic Institution, obviously has an academic structure at its core which consists of Faculties, Teaching Departments and Institutes. They are supported by administrative and servicing departments.
Contact US
Contact Us
| Further Queries/Feedback are welcome | ||
| Director (Student Affairs) | ||
| Directorate of Students Advisory & Counselling Services, Gateway Block,Ground Floor, Allama Iqbal Open University, Sector H-8, Islamabad-44000 | ||
| http://support.aiou.edu.pk | ||
| (051) 111-112-468 | ||
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