PRESENTATION ON THE WORKING AND PERFORMANCE OF AIOU IN VIEW OF DISTANCE LEARNING EDUCATION IN PAKISTAN.

15th. International Congress on Distance Education.

FORTALEZA, Brazil.

September ,2009By

Prof. Dr. Mahmood-ul-Hassan Butt

Case for Distance Education in Pakistan

DemographyPopulation 180 millions40% below age 14In school only 50% of the age groupUniversity accessibility only

4% of the age group

Plan to increase it to 10% by 2015

Geography 300000 Sq. MilesRural 75%Urban 25%

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Case for Distance Education in Pakistan

Social and EconomicGender, Male 48% Female 52%Poverty 30% below poverty lineLimited access to money economy for femalesRural Health

Multiplier EffectQuality Faculty (Prepares)Quality Instructional MaterialsExisting facilities (Home, Office, Community Centers)

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Key Challenges in Higher Education

Financing Reforms

Strategic Aims: Responding to Challenges

Good Governance & Management

Quality Assurance: Standards, Assessment, Accreditation

FacultyDevelopment

Improving Access & Learning

Excellence in Research

Relevance to National PrioritiesC

ore

Su

pp

ort

Infrastructure Development: Physical, Technology

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Allama Iqbal Open University

The AIOU was established in 1974 under the name of

“People’s Open University” using the Open Distance Learning Model. It was later renamed as “Allama Iqbal Open

University” in 1977 on the eve of first centenary of the National Poet and Philosopher,

Allama Muhammad Iqbal.

ESTABLISHMENT

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AIOU will transform lives and serve society by providing affordable and accessible education through technology supported distance learning to disseminate and discover useful knowledge, develop professional skills, ethical dispositions and commitment to excellence .

MISSION OF AIOU

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To provide Opportunities for Learners to Study regardless of Geographic, Socio-Economic or Age constraints. It is a readily accessible and affordable open university designed to serve the times and nation’s need for competent and caring human resources.

RATIONALE

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• To provide affordable and accessible educational facilities to people who cannot leave their homes and jobs.

• To provide facilities to the masses for their educational uplift.

• To provide instruction in diverse disciplines of knowledge including technology and vocations.

OBJECTIVES

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To provide facilities for the training of teachers.

To make provision for research and for the advancement and dissemination of knowledge.

To hold examinations and to award and confer degrees and other academic distinctions

OBJECTIVES

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VISION ( Aspirations) OF AIOU

Deliberately plan a qualitatively brighter future to build on AIOU’s extraordinary achievements of quantitative growth as a mega ODL University.

Through collective strategic thinking develop and implement innovative and creative systems and solutions to enable students, faculty and staff to thrive and serve the nation.

Cont.

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Expand and improve the quality of services provided through its regional campuses and centers.

Foster High quality research by students and faculty to meet current and anticipated development needs of the country

Selectively develop for ODL delivery graduate programs of teaching, research and service commensurate with the mission of the University.

Cont.

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Play a leading role to extend the open distance education system to other universities to cover private candidates.

Graduate culturally enlightened, technologically knowledgeable & skilled and academically competent, progressive and productive leaders.

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ORGANIZATION

Administrative Structure

Academic Structure

Regional Network

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THE AIOU SYSTEM

Admission

Instructional Media

Conventional Face To Face Education

ADMISSION An Academic year is comprised of two semesters/18

weeks namely Spring and Autumn semesters .

A wide range of courses from :

• Secondary School Certificate• Higher Secondary School Certificate• Undergraduate• Graduate• Master’s• M.Phil • Ph.D programmes

In addition short and long term Diploma and certificate programmes including Teacher Education, non credit functional courses are offered in each semester.

Semester (Duration 18 Weeks) Admissions Open

Spring February 1st

Autumn August 1st

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INSTRUCTIONAL MEDIA

• Correspondence and through Radio/Television

• Mixed: correspondence, Audio-visual, online (internet) and conventional face to face tutorials.

• Online: Internet and tutorial

• Study material for every programme is specially designed and mailed to each distance learner.

220

50

100

150

200

250

300

350

400

450

500

2003-04 2004-05 2005-06 2006-07 2007-08

MEDIA SUPPORT RADIO AND T.V. PROGRAMMES TRANSMISSION (2003-04 TO 2007-08)

Radio

T.V

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1771228 18000001800002

2534614

3756449

0

500000

1000000

1500000

2000000

2500000

3000000

3500000

4000000

Nub

mer

s

2003-04 2004-05 2005-06 2006-07 2007-08

Years

NUMB E R OF B OOK S P R INT E D (2003-04 T O 2007-08)

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CONVENTIONAL FACE TO FACE EDUCATION

The education imparted either at the Main/Regional campus(es) or the Approved Study Centers is provided in the following disciplines/levels.

Applied and Natural Sciences at the levels of M.Sc, M.Phil and Ph.D.

Social Sciences at the levels of M.Phil and Ph.D. Management Sciences at the levels of BBA and MBA in

Finance and Information Technology Computer Science and Information Technology at the

levels of BS, MS and Ph.D.

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SALIENT FEATURES

Course offering trends

Student Enrolment Trend

Gender Ratio

Provincial Breakup

Degrees/Diplomas/Certificates Awarded

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4.2 GENDER RATIO

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STANDARDIZATION OF EDUCATION

Curriculum

Tutorial Support

Enhanced Support Services through

Website

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CURRICULUM

Model Curricular Schemes of Ministry of Education/ HEC for all AIOU programmes are followed. This imparts an essential equivalence to AIOU degrees / certificates.

Admission and Evaluation criteria of HEC are followed for all Postgraduate Programmes.

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TUTORIAL SUPPORT

Tutors provide guidance and evaluate the assignments.

Part-Time Tutors 37000

Study Centres 1350

Approved Study Centres(for face to face component)

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Controlled by Regional Campuses and Centers who provide a venue for Interactive Instructions.

ENHANCED SUPPORT SERVICES THROUGH WEBSITE

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SENSE OF ATTACHMENT

Sharing of Scholarly Activities

Institute of Mass Education

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Sharing of Scholarly Activities

Research Journals

• Pakistan Journal of Education (PJE) (Bi-annual)

• Journal of Social Science & Humanities (Bi – annual)

• Ilm Ki Roshni (Bi-annual)

• Maaref-e-Islami (Bi-annual)

Newsletters

• Jamia Nama (Monthly)

• Sehan Ujala (Bi-annual)

• Weekly Radio Programme for students (Jamia Nama)

• AIOU Magazine – monthly TV programme)

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Institute of Mass Education

The key programs of IME are:

• Basic Education, Functinal Literacy• Basic and Primary Education• Middle Level Education• Secondary Level Education• Short Term Educational Programs

Balochistan (Turbat):• Women Middle Education Program through non-formal

education method in eight villages of Mund area ta Turbat (Pilot based).

Punjab (Kharian):

• Women Middle Education Program through non-formal education method in nine villages of Kharian (Pilot based).

• Basic Education Functional Literacy Program for women in ten villages of Kharian (Pilot based)

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AGENDA FOR THE FUTURE

AIOU Action PLAN

Quality Open Distance Education of 21st Century

Academic Cultural Change

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Quality Open Distance Education of 21st Century

Information and Communication Tools and Technologies.

Satellite based Interactive TV broadcast through PAKSAT-1 (2 - 4 channels).FM Radio National Frequency.Online Courses using World Wide Web.PERN Connectivity.Digital Libraries for research.Video Conferencing.Provide PC to students through buy/lease program.

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Academic Cultural Change Tenure Track System for faculty hiring , retention and promotion (May 2006).Provision of research facilities and opportunities for faculty and post graduate students.900 new positions for faculty and technology smart support staff.Governance System: replace current VCR model with Chiefs for Academics (CAO), Business and Finance (CFO), Planning and Development (CPDO) and Manager IT Services.Action research in Educational Leadership and Teaching.National Center for Curriculum Development.

THANK YOU