IGNOU aims to create synergy of efforts with Open Universities

The Indira Gandhi National Open University’s (IGNOU’s) Inter University Consortium (IUC) organized the second conference meet of all the Vice Chancellors of Open Universities (OUs) in the conference room of the VC’s block in the main campus of the university in the capital. Ms. Vibha Puri Das, Secretary, Department of Higher Education, Ministry of Human Resource Development inaugurated the conference.

The purpose of this consortium- meeting of the vice chancellors was to create a synergy of efforts to meaningfully contribute to the national agenda set up by the MHRD, i.e., quality education while pushing up the Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) in higher education. The meeting aimed at carving out the collective leadership in the country in the field of Open and Distance Learning.

The meeting proposed to focus on three pronged strategy, namely, developing a common curriculum for undergraduate programme, creating open education resource available through a dedicated web portal and creating curriculum based multi-media e-content for UG courses.

Ms. Vibha Puri Das in her inaugural address stressed on the collaborative approach through this consortium of open universities for massification and enhancing the GER in higher education. She brought forward four key pillars for the 12th Five Year Plan (FYP) and laid emphasis on faculty development, students and research in the universities.

Ms. Das emphasized that the intervention of ICT in imparting education is must which should be used by the teachers. She mentioned that the National Vocational Education Qualification Framework (NBEQF) is another important pillar in the 12th FYP for which she felt that instead of just producing manpower, employable manpower must be produced. She also talked about the ‘Rashtriya Uchch Shiksha Abhiyan’ as the fourth pillar in the 12th FYP.

Prof. M. Aslam, Vice Chancellor, IGNOU, in his opening remarks brought forward the objectives of the consortium. According to him, “Through IUC, we can pool in talents of all the open universities enabling the enhancement of GER in higher education. There are number of issues which are common to the open universities and need to be identified so that there can be a common stand on them.” He also emphasized upon setting up the non-negotiable standards. Distance education should use judicious mix of media and technology. Open universities should experiment with new technologies and mutually share the experiences so that all are benefitted.

Prof. Madhu Prahar, Director, IUC, IGNOU, brought forward the outcome of the meeting wherein it was decided that there will be a common curriculum among all the OUs. To begin with, as a pilot project, common curriculum can be developed in three UG programmes. It was also decided to build the capacities of faculties in the use of technologies.