Islamabad
Allama Iqbal Open University (AIOU) is committed to equipping students with market-relevant skills alongside quality education to enhance their employability and prepare them for the evolving demands of the professional world, Vice Chancellor Prof. Dr. Nasir Mahmood has said.
He said skilled youth were the future of the country and that providing students with practical and professional skills was essential for national development. He added that the university was strengthening collaboration with national and international institutions to align education with employment needs and create modern learning and training opportunities for students.
The Vice Chancellor expressed these views while addressing a signing ceremony for a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between AIOU’s Centre for Lifelong Learning and UK-based Wiser Minds Education. Registrar Raja Umer Younis signed the MoU on behalf of Allama Iqbal Open University while Dr. Tahir Mahmood signed on behalf of Wiser Minds Education, UK.
The agreement aims to strengthen cooperation between the two institutions in promoting lifelong learning, advancing skills development and aligning educational opportunities with labour market requirements.
Prof. Dr. Nasir Mahmood said that AIOU was focused not only on providing quality and accessible education but also on enabling students to acquire practical competencies that meet the needs of the job market. He emphasized that students should not be limited to earning academic degrees but should also develop the skills necessary to secure better employment opportunities and adapt to changing professional demands.
He expressed hope that the partnership with Wiser Minds Education would contribute to promoting lifelong learning, expanding access to modern training opportunities and enhancing students’ professional capabilities. He said such collaborations were important for preparing a skilled workforce capable of contributing effectively to the country’s economic and social development.
Under the MoU, both institutions will exchange knowledge, experiences and expertise in educational and professional fields, collaborate on providing modern training opportunities and promote joint educational and skills-based initiatives.
During the ceremony, Dr. Tahir Mahmood gave a detailed briefing on the services and facilities offered by Wiserminds Education and explained various aspects of the agreement with AIOU.
Dean of the Faculty of Education, Prof. Dr. Naveed Sultana said the university was promoting partnerships with national and international institutions to develop academic programmes in line with contemporary educational requirements and the changing needs of society. She noted that such collaborations enabled students to strengthen their practical skills alongside their academic knowledge, helping them advance in their chosen professional fields.
Director of the Centre for Lifelong Learning, Dr. Tooba Saleem said the partnership with Wiser Minds Education would broaden opportunities for students to access modern educational and training programmes, acquire new skills and benefit from international experiences.
She added that the Centre for Lifelong Learning was working to promote programmes that connect academic knowledge with practical competencies and contribute to developing a skilled workforce to meet the country’s emerging professional and economic needs.
