The Role of Virtual

Universities and
Distance Education In
the Formation of New
Generations

Dr Muhammad Khan
HOD, International Relations
NDU Pakistan

Literacy
Literacy means, to be able to read and write. It used to be the

privilege of a few.
Today education comprises more years of life, more days per year

and more hours per day for more people than at any time before.
Free education is a human right for all, but not a reality for all.
The potential of the latest information technologies for expanding

opportunities for education are immense.

There is little doubt that the World Wide Web (WWW) bridges

barriers of time and space in the delivery of knowledge through

online instruction.

Concept of Virtual University

A student in Mauritius sitting an exam set

by the University of London might not
sound especially remarkable these days.
But it certainly was in 1865, when the
citizens of the Indian Ocean island
became the first to host a University of
London examination outside of London
and, by extension, the world's first
degree-level distance learners.

Concept of Virtual
University
The term"virtual university"is used to describe any
organization that provides higher education programs through
electronic devices such as the computer.
Virtual universities are increasingly meeting the educational
demands of students in various parts of the world.
Since its inception, virtual universities themselves have
experienced growth and improvement owing to a rapid
advancement in technology.
Their growth amongst other things offers benefits such as
providing own Satellite TV Networks, Lectures CDs, predeveloped Notes, best possible exams systems, and above all
providing Distance Learning System.

Virtual University of
Pakistan

Virtual University of
Pakistan
Virtual University (VU) of Pakistan is the countrys first university based

completely on modern Information and Communication Technologies.

Brainchild of Prof. Dr. Atta-ur-Rehman.
Virtual University of Pakistan started in 2002 with 18 campuses. Now

there are over 200 campuses of VU of Pakistan all over the country.
Its mission is to provide extremely affordable world class education to

aspiring students and flung areas of the country.

Virtual University of Pakistan

. Continued
Currently around 85,000 students are enrolled in

the VU, where two top disciplines are related to

Management and Computer Sciences.
The enrollment grew in unpresidented way from

about 34,000 in 2008 to 85,000 in Spring 2012

More than 15,000 students are awarded degrees.

Globalization

Gobalization in the context

of Distance Learning
Globalization is the increasing flow across borders and boundaries

whether national, economic, cultural, technological, goods, services,

ideas, information, images and values.
The global gaps in virtual educational opportunity are enormous,

and reducing them is an amazing task.

Among the other important challenges are:
Reducing negative impacts of the brain drain from the poor to the rich

countries and from disadvantaged to advantaged regions as the market

for students also becomes globalized.
Reducing inequalities, poverty and marginalization.
Widening technological and knowledge gaps between industrialized
and developing countries.

Gobalization in the context of

Distance
Learning....continued

Reducing the widening digital divide between rich and poor

nations, lest the know-nots remain have-nots;

Making access to learning and educational resources via the

internet more equal among countries.

Increasing the number and proportion of people with a

capacity to access and transmit the new knowledge being
created, which requires large investments in higher education
and specialized training.

Increasing the number and proportion of people who can

apply and advance knowledge so they can gain access to
creative knowledge networks;

Preventing poor countries from becoming mere spectators

and obedient recipients of innovations developed in the
industrialized world by boosting their capacities to contribute.

ODL Contributions
towards Pakistani Society
The country's ODL sector made enormous

contributions in terms of the number of graduates that

the Virtual University have produced and injected into
society over the past 10 years.
More than 50 % enrolment in virtual university of
Pakistan is full time employees. Establishing better links
between education and the local economy.
Pakistan constitutes more than 65 % youth and without
ODL, large number of young people of the country
would have been marginalized.
70% of people studying through distance learning are
females.

United Nation and

Distance Education

United Nation and Distance

Education
Distance education can be closely related to sustainable

development.
The human development balance sheet still indicates
deprivation.
In 1996, millions of children were still out of school 130 million
at the primary level, and 275 million at the secondary level.
In 2002, 113 million school-age children are not in school, 97%
of them in developing countries.
The 2002 Human Development Report indicates that 93
countries, with 39% of the worlds people, do not have data on
trends in primary enrolments.
60% of children not in primary school worldwide are girls.
Of the worlds estimated 854 million illiterate adults, 544 million
are women (Elliot, 1999,UNDP, 2002).

Coursera
Five prestigious U.S. universities created free

online courses for students worldwide through

a new, interactive education platform dubbed
Coursera, announced in early 2012. Now the
number of universities have increased.
Coursera.org currently teaches 1.3 million

students within six months of its launch.

Coursera .continued
It is envisioned by many scholars where a

future where the top universities are

educating not only thousands of students, but
millions. The technology enables the best
professors to teach tens or hundreds of
thousands of students.

Formation of New
Generations through Open
Distance Learning
The major social benefit of higher education is that it

produces individuals with knowledge and skills that

are valuable to society.
The following is a listing of some of the functions
Virtual Universities have been doing over the years;
Cultural transmission of values
Social integration
Promoting personal and social change
Establishing social networks
Offering extracurricular activities and social services

The Way Forward

Open and Distance Learning, evidence shows,

a better approach in Pakistan in democratizing

education, poverty alleviation and the
empowerment of the marginalized groups,
especially women.
Distance education policy needs to integrate
relevant institutions interest, to develop
strategic alliance among supporting institutions
and to create collaborative networks promoting
consortium of degree-granting institutions.

The Way Forward .

continued
Educational policy needs to promote the quality

education for all to transform the developing

countries into more equitable nations.
With the rapid expansion in the past ten years of
Virtual Universities around the world, questions
remain about accreditation, assessment and
reputation for quality. Not all Virtual Universities are
created equal. Accreditation by a governing body is
needed to assure students that the online institute
has certified online instructors who have the expertise
and educational qualifications to design and carry out
the curriculum.

The Way Forward .

continued
Current distance education policy is still

fragmented and utilize conventional strategy.

This policy is outdated and overlooked the
exiting potentials to achieve bet
The governments must continue to generate
research and indicators on the social impact of
the Internet. ter quality of distance education
system.

Conclusion
It is envisioned by many scholars where a

future where the top universities are

educating not only thousands of students, but
millions. The technology enables the best
professors to teach tens or hundreds of
thousands of students.