New Delhi: Indira Gandhi National Open University’s (IGNOU) Vice Chancellor Professor Rajasekharan Pillai said that the university does not have to be dependent on government funding for running educational programmes. As per sources, reason behind the statement is that IGNOU has signed several Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) with various public and private institutions.
Further, sources told that Professor Pillai said the statement while underlining the major academic steps that IGNOU has taken in 2010. They intend to further harness technology for expansion of their clientele and pave the way in the Open and Distance Learning arena, Professor Pillai added in the latest edition of Learning at its Best. As per sources, introduction of the Student/Learner Satisfaction Survey is a major quality intervention that IGNOU has attained this year.
Further, Mr. Pillai said that this initiative is a first of its kind in the country and includes specific questions relating to employment opportunities, quality of content for learning, and educational outcomes. He told that the Learner Satisfaction Survey was open to all students of the university and the responses received were tremendous. In addition, he informed that the feedback has helped them initiate refinements and corrections in the course curriculum.
Furthermore, Professor Pillai said that the survey is now a mandatory aspect of the academic programme and will be administered every year. Moreover, he told that the concept of Community College was also introduced by IGNOU, and the year witnessed the consolidation of the concept through a diverse range of activities. The participation from civil societies in the Community College movement has been immense, he added.
Mr. Pillai informed that the activities of IGNOU across the country, through partnerships with various civil society organizations, have helped them lay the foundation for the Community College system in the country. Lastly, he said that they have been systematically and seriously looking into aspects that were promoting research studies at IGNOU. Previously research was not an intrinsic part of the university, he added.
Furthermore, Professor Pillai said that now rigorous research oriented activities have started. The research and teaching assistance-ship programme has been developed in order to encourage bright postgraduate to peruse research, and simultaneously also assist in teaching. They are paid almost equivalent to any lecturer of the university, he added.
