ISLAMABAD, May 4: Allama Iqbal Open University (AIOU) launched Next Generation Learning Management system (LMS ) with Virtual class room facilitation grid to meet students’ academic needs.

It upgraded 'Aaghi LMS portal' to offer online programs and hold Online classes at the post-graduate-level particularly during the lock-down period in wake of COVID-19.

Through this portal, online sessions are being held with the students of Associate Degree, BS, Bed, MA, MSC, MS/M.Phil and PhD programs, it was stated here on Monday. With having experience of 46 years in Distance Learning, the AIOU has recently made a paradigm shift from traditional Distance Learning to next generation Distance Learning. At the time when educational institutions are closed and students are worried about their academic activities, the AIOU was fulfilling its responsibility, connecting them with their academic programs through well-managed, organized and upgraded Learning Management System with Virtual classroom facilitation grid i.e. Aaghi Learning Management Portal. The LMS Portal is based on state of the art next generation LMS Engine that has updated and integrated by the University to manage virtual classroom grid.

This facilitate the students and teachers to be connected through text, voice and video for live face to face interaction (discussions and lectures) without any interruption and problems. As per the feedback, Faculty members and the students are highly satisfied with the upgraded system, stating that it meet the academic needs, particularly in wake of COVID-19. The Aaghi Learning Management Portal has been successfully developed and managed by a team of Directorate of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) that is actively engaged in digitalizing the University’s academic and administrative services, taking benefit of the new technology. The task was undertaken under the visionary leadership of Dr. Zia Ul-Qayyum, who is himself professor of Computer Sciences, Artificial Intelligence and Augmented/Virtual Reality. 

The Faculty members are fully trained to provide online help to their students for providing full academic support to their students of Associate Degree, BS-4 years, BSc, MA/MSc, MPhil and PhD programs. According to Director of ICT, currently the University is providing support to its Faculty, enabling it to provide academic support at postgraduate level programs to more than 40, 000 students in 15 regions (out of 54 regions) through this Aaghi LMS portal. Dr. Zia Ul-Qayyum has also offered his all possible support to all the educational institutions in the country, if they want to manage online programs and training for their faculty members and staff. The University at this critical time has also provided its academic support to Ministry of Federal Education and Professional Training for launching of TeleSchool through the PTV. This job is being done through the University's own resources, in order to fulfill its national duty, when the whole nation is confronting with COVID-19 epidemic.