ISLAMABAD: Higher Education Commission (HEC) Chairman Prof Dr Mukhtar Ahmed has said the world should work on education diplomacy and use science not as a means of destruction but as a tool for global peace and development.

He stated this while addressing the inaugural session of a three-day 37th AAOU annual conference at Allama Iqbal Open University, says a press release.

The conference of Asian Association of Open Universities (AAOU), `Expanding horizons: innovations in open and distance learning` is being participated by delegates from 22 countries.

Dr Mukhtar Ahmed stated that after the Covid-19 pandemic, Pakistan like the rest of the world witnessed the rise of online education and continued academic activities through the online system. He remarked that due to its inbuilt characteristics, soon online and blended learning modes will become an essential mode of education.

He added that HEC had introduced an open and distance education policy in Pakistan to help other universities and HEIs offer open distance learning.

Allama Iqbal Open University (AIOU) Vice Chancellor Prof Dr Nasir Mehmood highlighted the significance of the open education system. He said distance educa-tion was no longer a second chance of education. He said ODL was still going through its initial stage of adoption. He called upon the members of AAOU to take collective measures for tackling the challenges being faced by the ODL system.

Dr Mehmood said digitisation had expanded AIOU`s educational outreach to remote areas across the country and gained recognition internationally. He also said the university`s current student body exceeded 1.2 million, including students from 35 countries. He said they are also providing education to prison inmates and transgender community through this system.

Professor Dr Ojat Darojat, President of the Asian Association of Open Universities and Rector of Indonesia`s Terbuka Open University, along with Professor Dr Peter Scott, President of the Commonwealth of Learning, Canada, were the keynote speakers of the openingsession.

They highlighted the importance and necessity of the distance education system and the contributions of the Open Universities Association. They expressed support for collaborative efforts to promote education through the distance learning system.

Conference Coordinator Prof Dr Zahid Majeed said 70 international and 200 Pakistani education experts from 22 countries were participating in the conference.