Moroccan varsities enter into partnership with Allama Iqbal Open University

Agree on exchange of programmes, sharing of study material

ISLAMABAD: Two Moroccan universities have joined hands with the Allama Iqbal Open University (AIOU) for exchange of academic programmes, and the capacity-building of their faculty members.

The University of Hassan II Casablanca President Idriss Mansouri and Morocco University of Fez President Professor Omar Assobhei signed the intent of cooperation documents during their visit to the AIOU on Thursday, said a press release.



The AIOU Vice-Chancellor, Dr Shahid Siddiqui, who drafted the documents on behalf of the distance learning institute, said that the cooperation would enable the two sides to pool their academic resources to provide the best educational facilities to their students.

The Moroccan academics lauded the distance-learning system of the AIOU and expressed their interest in implementing the same in their own country, to improve access to higher education.

It is intended that the memorandums of understanding will pave the way for the exchange of faculty members and students, and for their training at all levels of education; and that the two sides will help each other in the commercialisation of research and development work.

They have also agreed to exchange information, teaching material and scientific reports, and to support each other in organising conferences, seminars, workshops and courses for the benefit of their students.

The heads of the universities agreed that cooperation in higher education would play a key role in bringing the governments and the people of the two nations closer.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 29^th, 2016.