The President of the International Islamic University Islamabad (IIUI), Prof. Dr. Ahmed Shuja Syed, chaired a meeting of the Directorate of Open and Distance Learning (DODL) at the university’s Board Room, Admin Block.
The meeting was attended by Dr. Muhammad Munir Kayani (Director, DODL), Mr. Ateeq Ur Rehman Chughtai (Director, Human Resource Management), Dr. Zulqarnain Hashmi (Director, Information Technology), and Syed Naveed Ehtesham (Director, Academics), along with DODL team members including Dr. Kashif Suhail Malik, Dr. Alina Raza, Dr. Fatima Batool, and Mr. Ali Rafiee.
Prof. Dr. Ahmed Shuja Syed shared a brief overview of the DODL initiative undertaken by the university administration. Dr. Muhammad Munir Kayani outlined the meeting’s objectives, highlighting the presentation of the DODL progress report and a discussion on the Higher Education Commission’s (HEC) checklist for obtaining a No Objection Certificate (NOC) to launch degree programs.
Dr. Alina Raza presented a comprehensive report covering the short-term, medium-term, and long-term goals of DODL, as well as updates on completed and ongoing tasks. Dr. Kashif Suhail Malik informed attendees about the formation of an HEC committee to ensure the alignment of DODL applications with the HEC Toolkit requirements.
The President emphasized the importance of timely and meticulous compliance with all Toolkit requirements. He was briefed on the development of course content for the B.Ed. (Hons) program by the Department of Teacher Education and the necessity of involving faculty from other departments for the development of General Courses (GC) for initial semesters. He assured full support in facilitating the engagement of relevant faculty members.
Further, the President stressed that, in addition to the Faculty of Education, at least one more faculty should initiate a degree program in the initial phase. He instructed the Director of HRM to issue formal notifications for all relevant DODL personnel and assigned the Director of IT to draft a proposal on utilizing the existing IT infrastructure, identifying areas that require further enhancement.
With regard to examination arrangements, it was decided that IIUI’s premises will initially be used as examination centers, while IIUI schools and regional campuses may be considered at a later stage, subject to the completion of necessary procedures. A financial committee was also formed to prepare a feasibility plan for DODL operations.
The meeting concluded with the President reiterating the university’s commitment to meeting all prerequisites for securing the NOC and successfully launching degree programs through the DODL platform.