Allama Iqbal Open University: 2003 - A year of enduring achievement

Allama Iqbal Open University (AIOU) is a story of continuous successes. The University is three decades old and is now an active member of 17-member Mega University Club.
Mega University means university where the number of admissions is over 100,000 annually. Last year the admissions at the Allama Iqbal Open University were more than 400,000, a fact, which gave the AIOU a prominent place among the Mega Universities.
Last year Peoples Republic of China hosted a Mega Universities Heads Conference in Shanghai from 2-7 November. Professor Dr Syed Altaf Hussain, AIOU Vice-chancellor participated in the conference as head of the only Open University in the country.
The conference was jointly organised by China Central Radio and TV University, Shanghai Distance Education Group and Shanghai TV University. At the end of the conference a joint declaration was issued in which 17 universities having Distance Education System were conferred Mega University title.
Three sub-committees for effective inter-university communication, better planning for provision of educational facilities to students were formed with the main objective of learning and sharing individual and collective experiences.
Professor Dr Syed Altaf Hussain AIOU Vice-chancellor was nominated Governor of the committee responsible for promotion of educational standard, credit transfer, recognition of degrees and certificates at international level, collective drive for research and policymaking.
Allama Iqbal Open University has started preparing educational programmes in collaboration with other open universities of the region. Among them common wealth of learning and Saarc countries open universities academies under an international agreement have prepared common wealth of learning executive MBA/MPA programmes and a post-graduate diploma programme "Environmental and Sustainable Development" in co-operation with South Asia Foundation learning initiative (SAF&I).
AIOU has prepared two courses: integrated environment management and participatory management. These collaborative educational programmes have been launched simultaneously in all member countries.
Another prominent event of 2003 was AIOU securing 1,000 scholarships for its students. The decision to award scholarships was made by Unesco's Goodwill Ambassador in Switzerland and the Founder Chairman South Asia Foundation, Madan Jeet Singh, a famous philanthropist. This decision was officially announced by Chairperson of the Pakistan Chapter of South Asia Foundation, Professor Salima Hashmi at a press conference in the presence of Professor Dr Syed Altaf Hussain.
Every scholarship is of the value of 300 US dollars per annum. The scholarship scheme has started from spring Semester 2004(1st February 2004).
In the field of science and technology, the launching of Atta-ur-Rehman Research Complex is the biggest achievement. The estimated cost of the project is Rs 40 millions and the-state-of-the-art equipment and chemicals worth over Rs 30 millions have been imported for the complex.
The years 2002-2003 also saw the holding of universities' convocations in all the four provinces of Pakistan.
For the promotion of French language in Pakistan, French online programme has been jointly launched by French Embassy, Alliances France and AIOU. France provided Rs 480 million for this project.
AIOU has a Memorandum of Understanding with UNHCR to create public awareness about the refugees' problems and to urge the people to lend legal and moral support to the refugees. The Memorandum of Understanding was signed by Professor Dr Syed Altaf Hussain on behalf of AIOU and on behalf of UNHCR by Philip Karani.
The best financial discipline and management practised by AIOU has not only helped in avoiding financial losses but in saving a lot of money. It was with these savings that an Endowment Fund was formed. At the beginning of year 2000-01 the Endowment Fund stood at Rs 455 millions. This fund was used on many development projects throughout the country. It is hoped that in the current year the endowment fund will cross Rs one billion figure.
Taking into account the increasing load of work at the AIOU, Professor Dr Syed Altaf Hussain has constituted Regional Advisory Committees at all regional campuses and offices of the university.
As the year 2003 was declared by the government of Pakistan as "Madar-e-Millat Fatima Jinnah Year", the year 2002 as "Shaer-e-Mashriq Year" and the year 2001 as "Quaid-e-Azam Year", the AIOU arranged a number of events throughout the year at the university and all its regional campuses.
Thanks to AIOU VC's untiring efforts the year 2003 saw Allama Iqbal Open University campus getting a massive facelift. It now wears a sophisticated look. Its beautiful main gate, two-lane concrete roads, zebra crossing, smooth pavements, parking lots, street lights, trimmed lawns, smartly built academic and administrative blocks and beautiful landscape are eye-catching. Four residential blocks comprising 32 flats for low-income staff were constructed in addition to 32 luxury flats for the teachers and administrative officers. It is worth-mentioning here that construction work was undertaken on self-help basis without receiving any development aid from the government.-PR