Allama Iqbal Open University

{{Infobox university

| name = Allama Iqbal Open University

| native_name = علامہ اقبال اوپن یونیورسٹی

| image_name = Allama Iqbal Open University logo.png

| image_size =

| motto = 'Education for All'

| established = {{Start date and age|1974}}

| closed =

| type = Public

| endowment = Government of Pakistan

| chancellor = President of Pakistan

| vice_chancellor = Prof. Dr. Nasir Mahmood{{cite news|url=https://www.thenews.com.pk/print/1013142-dr-nasir-appointed-acting-vc-of-aiou |newspaper=The News (newspaper) |date=24 November 2022|title=Dr Nasir appointed acting VC of AIOU

|access-date=11 May 2023}}

| academic_staff = 2899

| administrative_staff =

| students = 1,326,266

| city = Islamabad-44000

| province =

| country = Pakistan

| coordinates = {{coord|33.68285319081896|73.05725156600758|display=inline,title}}

| campus = Urban

| colours = Sky blue, orange, white
{{color box|#87CEEB}}{{color box|#FF7F00}}{{color box|#FFFFFF}}

| other_name = AIOU

| mascot =

| affiliations = Higher Education Commission (Pakistan)
Pakistan Engineering Council

| website = {{URL|https://www.aiou.edu.pk/}}

}}

Allama Iqbal Open University is a public university in Islamabad, Pakistan. It is named after Allama Muhammad Iqbal, the country's national poet. It is the world's fifth largest institution of higher learning in terms of enrolment, with an annual enrollment of 1,121,038 students ({{as of|2010|lc=y}}), the majority are women and course enrollment of 3,305,948 (2011). Students can gain admission in Matriculation, Intermediate, Bachelor, Master, MPhil and Ph.D. programmes at the university.{{Cite web |title=Programmes |url=https://aiou.edu.pk/Ed_Programmes.asp |access-date=2022-06-08 |website=aiou.edu.pk |archive-date=26 September 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220926065445/https://aiou.edu.pk/Ed_Programmes.asp |url-status=dead }}

File:Iqbal.jpg, then president of the Muslim League in 1930 and address deliverer]]

The university has 44 regional campuses and centers throughout Pakistan including in Faisalabad, Multan, Dera Ghazi Khan, Dera Ismail Khan, Bahawalpur and Rahim Yar Khan.{{cite news |author=Malik |first=Fahad |date=1 September 2016 |title=Online learning |newspaper=Dawn |url=https://www.dawn.com/news/1281161 |access-date=9 June 2022}}

Objectives and mission

Established in May 1974 under Act No. XXXIX passed by the Parliament of Pakistan,{{Cite web |title=AIOU AT A GLANCE {{!}} Education For All |url=https://www.aiou.edu.pk/aiou-glance |access-date=2023-06-08 |website=www.aiou.edu.pk}} it is Asia's first open university with a strong emphasis on providing distance education in philosophy, natural science and social sciences.{{cite web|title=Listing programs|url=http://www.aiou.edu.pk/ProgrammesList.asp?P=BACHELOR|publisher=Listing programs|access-date=3 May 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130919160424/http://www.aiou.edu.pk/ProgrammesList.asp?P=BACHELOR|archive-date=19 September 2013|url-status=dead|df=dmy-all}} It has the most applicants per year of any university in Pakistan.

AIOU offers extensive undergraduate and post-graduate programs in academic disciplines.{{cite web|title=Education programs at AIOU|url=http://www.aiou.edu.pk/EducationalProgrammes.asp|publisher=Education programs at AIOU|access-date=3 May 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130924105139/http://www.aiou.edu.pk/EducationalProgrammes.asp|archive-date=24 September 2013|url-status=dead|df=dmy-all}} After witnessing the success of the Open University in the United Kingdom, AIOU was established as a public university in 1974.{{cite web|title=Brief history|url=http://www.aiou.edu.pk/BriefHistory.asp|access-date=3 May 2020|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130915143537/http://www.aiou.edu.pk/BriefHistory.asp|archive-date=15 September 2013}}

AIOU is noted for its cost-effective policy to provide higher and lifelong education to people learning from their homes and places of work at a minimum cost through a specialised fund managed by the government.

AIOU is open to everyone and provides education to all without any discrimination.{{cite web|url=https://paknetmag.blogspot.com/search/label/Stamps%20of%20Pakistan%20Year%27s%201999|title=25 Years of Allama Iqbal Open University, Islamabad (scroll down to this section with University Profile)|website=paknetmag.com website|access-date=2 May 2020}}

Administration and governance

Chancellor (President of Pakistan)
Pro-Chancellor (Federal Minister for Education, Ministry of Federal Education and Professional Training)
Vice-Chancellor (Chief Executive Officer/Head of the institution)
Executive Council (Governing Body)

Faculties and departments

=Faculty of Arabic and Islamic Studies=

Established in 1974, the faculty was upgraded as the Faculty of Arabic and Islamic Studies in 1998, with the following departments:

The Faculty of Arabic and Islamic Studies also operates an Indexing and Abstracting Agency "Islamic Research Index". The Islamic Research Index is the first and largest repository of Arabic and Islamic Studies Research Journals.

=Faculty of Education=

Established in 1984, the Faculty of Education's origin predates the university. A National Institute of Education was established in 1973 as a part of the Federal Ministry of Education, to improve education at school levels through in-service training of Master Trainers. This institute became a part of the university in June 1975.

The Faculty of Education has the following departments:

Adult and Continuing Education
Distance and Non-Formal Education
Educational Planning and Management
Science Education
Special Education
Teacher Education (Secondary)
Teacher Education (Elementary)

=Faculty of Sciences=

Renamed as Faculty of Sciences, the Faculty of Basic and Applied Sciences was established in 1982. It comprises the following nine departments:

Agricultural Sciences
Biology
Botany
Chemistry
Information Technology
Computer Science{{cite news |author=Fayyaz |first=Usama |date=22 July 2019 |title=Allama Iqbal Open University (AIOU) launches four-year BS programmes |newspaper=Business Recorder |url=https://www.brecorder.com/2019/07/22/511608/aiou-launches-four-year-bs-programmes/ |access-date=2 May 2020}}
Engineering and Technology (Bachelor of Engineering in Telecommunications)
Environmental Sciences
Home and Health Sciences
Mathematics and Statistics
Physics
Telecommunications{{cite web|url=http://app.com.pk/en_/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=46970 |archive-date=23 June 2015|date=1 May 2014|title=Allama Iqbal Open University (AIOU) gets accreditation of BE Telecom from Pakistan Engineering Council (PEC)|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150623205636/http://app.com.pk/en_/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=46970 |website=Associated Press of Pakistan website|access-date=3 May 2020}}

=Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities=

The Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities was established in 1982. The 16 departments of the faculty are:

=Future goals of AIOU=

BS (4-Years) Specialization in Distance
Non-Formal and Continuing Education
Postgraduate Diploma in Educational Technology
Postgraduate Diplomas in Distance Education
Postgraduate Diplomas in Non-Formal Education

Commemorative postage stamp

Pakistan Post issued a commemorative postage stamp on 20 November 1999, on the university's 25th anniversary.

References

External links

{{Official website|https://www.aiou.edu.pk/}}
[https://nokripro.com/aiou-jobs-2025/ AIOU Jobs 2025 – Application & Updates]

Category:1974 establishments in Pakistan

Category:Distance education institutions based in Pakistan

Category:Universities and colleges established in 1974

Category:Universities and colleges in Islamabad

Category:Memorials to Muhammad Iqbal

Category:Public universities and colleges in Pakistan