PTCL has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Allama Iqbal Open University to provide electronic accessibility to its students and teachers for sharing information and knowledge on their relevant academic courses and programs. Under the agreement, the inter-connectivity facility will be provided to students and teachers at subsidized rate.
This is a part of the overall plan of the university to provide equal access to quality education to its 1.3 million students from across the country.
The MoU was signed by AIOU Registrar Muhammad Bashir Chaudhary and PTCL Corporate Services (North) General Manager Zahid Mahmood at a ceremony held at the AIOU main campus. AIOU Vice Chancellor Prof Nazir Ahmed Sangi presided over the ceremony and a PTCL team and senior academicians and officers of the university were also present on the occasion.
Under the MoU, the PTCL will set up an infrastructure to provide ICT facilities to faculty members, students and staff of the university at subsidised rate. The electronic mailbox will be provided by the PTCL, including e-mail addresses and collaborator for interaction among teachers and students.
On the occasion, Dr Sangi said that by signing the MoU, the university had turned its long-standing dream into reality providing Internet connectivity to students for sharing information and knowledge with their teachers. He said that the AIOU was being developed as an electronic university providing necessary academic information to students on fast-track basis.
The vice chancellor said that We have fulfilled our promise to introduce state-of-the-art new technology. This is a major step forward facilitating the students to interact with their teachers. Communication is a key to success and our students will now be able to meet their targets, especially timely submitting their assignments and know the required information like date of workshop and exam.”
He further said that this was a part of other steps which the university taken recently to facilitate and support its students. “We have already introduced a scheme, ‘Educate a Child’, which is also first of its kind in Pakistan,” he added.
Speaking on the occasion, Tariq Suleman appreciated the AIOU for its outstanding services in the education field and assured that the PTCL will provide uninterrupted Internet connectivity to its students and teachers.
Earlier, ICT Director Qazi Asif briefed participants about terms and conditions of the agreement and said it would be improved and upgraded with the passage of time.
