ISLAMABAD: The Second Executive Board meeting of COMSTECH-Islamic Countries Network for Virtual/Open Universities (CINVU) was held the the other day at Anadolu University, Turkey.
The meeting was held under the chairmanship of Prof Dr Zia Ul-Qayyum, Vice Chancellor Allama Iqbal Open University (AIOU), Islamabad, Pakistan, who is also the first president of CINVU.
The executive board members from Syria, Ivory Coast, Malaysia, Iran, Turkey, Tunisia and Pakistan attended the meeting, said a press release received here on Wednesday.
Dr Karim Najafi Barzegar, Secretary-General, CINVU from Iran presented the agenda of the meeting i.e., review of 2020-21 strategic plan and its implementation, progress, budget report for the financial year 2020-21 and the proposed budget for 2021-22.
The members pledged to the success of CINVU among Islamic countries.
On the occasion, Prof. Dr. Zia Ul-Qayyum said AIOU was ready to offer short-term fellowships to faculty members and students from the member countries to enhance their teaching and learning skills. “We can develop and offer joint degree programs or courses for the member countries”, he added.
The Executive Committee members agreed that CINVU would develop an accreditation framework for ODL/Online programs and courses to overcome the challenge of quality assurance which is one of the challenges faced by the virtual/open universities in the Islamic Countries.
It was discussed in detail and decided that CINVU would also develop the Quality Assurance Framework for ODL programs with the help of Malaysia, Pakistan and Turkey that would help the member countries to develop and offer quality education to their students.
Prof. Dr. Zia Ul-Qayyum announced that the third General Assembly of CINVU would be held in Islamabad during the first week of February 2022.
During the stay at Turkey, Prof. Zia Ul-Qayyum woill also sign Memorandums of Understanding with Anadolu University and Istanbul University to offer joint degree programs, exchange of staff and faculty members as well as joint research projects.
He will also visit the Pakistan Consulate General in Istanbul for their support in offering AIOU International Programs to overseas Pakistani’s living in Turkey and to the Turkish citizens.