BULLETIN April 2021 Issue # 01 111 264 264 111 114 772 021-38771627 Main Campus Gulshan & North Campuses Airport Campus IUONLINE Iqra_University iqrauniversity.main Iqra_University iqra_university-official MESSAGE FROM THE VICE CHANCELLOR Despite the challenging circumstances at the start of this year, we are very proud of the progress Iqra University has made with the help of its faculty members, staff and students. We have managed to serve the community, meet our growth targets and accomplish our vision and mission objectives while following the academic plan in the midst of the pandemic. The faculty at Iqra University has made commendable progress through their efforts to motivate and encourage student engagement. The past few months have been a time of monumental achievements for Iqra University. I would like to reiterate our goals as a community: the University will strive to achieve innovation, creativity, knowledge and community engagement through quality teaching and research. We have always put our students first, and we will continue to do so by providing the best possible learning experience for all in an affordable and financially sustainable environment while ensuring high quality of education and delivering globally competitive outcomes for our students. Prof. Dr. Wasim Qazi equipment such as masks, hand sanitizers, and disinfectants are available on campus to ensure everyone's health and well-being. By doing your part, off-campus and on-campus in educational or extracurricular activities and Life during the maintaining social distancing protocols, you can help minimize the risk of exposure to COVID-19. As we gradually transition back to campus for face-to-face learning under certain restrictions, it is good to see the students' anticipation, excitement, joy, and enthusiasm. New Normal The willingness to learn and the need to socially connect are evident with students’ THE RETURN TO FACE-TO-FACE CLASSES SLOWS DOWN THE active participation in events, such as the GROWTH OF EDUCATIONAL GAPS Welcome Party for newcomers, the Open House, and the PUBG LAN Tournament Spring While the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic Dr. Shams Idrees, Professor at Iqra University, 2021. Similarly, the teachers who have always has spread across the world, the education underscores the need to keep students centers have taken the hardest hit globally. connected to the school to access quality The emerging powers in higher education, teaching and learning, regardless of their studies. Teachers were trained to teach using China and South Korea, were among the first socioeconomic background or public/private the online medium, the best online learning countries affected by the pandemic. The sector school status. Constant contact with management system in the world was immediate actions were practically the same teachers and classmates is critical for acquired, and special measures were taken to for world-class universities, technical schools, students’ learning, growth and development. facilitate the students affected by the and all kinds of higher education institutions: pandemic. Iqra University has truly emerged close campuses, send students home, provide Although majority of students are receiving as a higher education leader in Pakistan once distance education whenever possible, and some type of distance education during the again during the pandemic. accept the loss of an academic semester pandemic, its access and quality depend on where there is no possibility of providing the resources available to study at home, Achieving equality in higher education is distance education. which are unevenly distributed. This implies challenging, even in the best of times. The that the most vulnerable children and crisis triggered by COVID-19, and possibly Only in a few countries was it possible for the adolescents are at risk of suffering learning exacerbated by the recession, will higher education sector to respond with a losses. undoubtedly put more pressure on the most well-prepared and well-informed solution for vulnerable. Stakeholders preparing for the the sudden closure of its physical facilities. So Online and distance education requires a equity in higher education should start now by responded to students' needs with today, majority of formally enrolled higher considerable level of preparation and identifying and engaging with students and Life at IU in the New Normal compassion and extra efforts are glad to have education students worldwide have been adaptation from higher education institutions communities at risk to understand and restored the "human connection" missing affected. In effect, these students are serving to ensure that students can successfully and respond with support to help them continue It is difficult to believe that the first month of from virtual classes. Teachers are all geared up as subjects of a global experiment, with a effectively learn through the online medium. their studies. This crisis has the potential to our spring semester of 2021 has almost passed. to support IU students in every possible way in range of modalities being tested (with varying Students also need to possess a high level of widen inequalities in higher education Last year was extremely challenging, but with the ongoing circumstances, while assuring levels of effectiveness and quality) for the technical capacity, equipment, and globally. everyone back at work in the 'new normal', we students that ‘We have your back, and we are continued provision of higher education. infrastructure which is simply not the reality are inspired and are looking forward to new in this together.’ for many students worldwide. Therefore, the It is essential to plan and implement and exciting experiences. Three main consequences quickly became shift to distance education has left millions of interventions that improve the persistence Lastly, in this 'new normal', let us all reflect, visible in the first wave of changes forced by students with no options available to continue and retention of students across the world. Our classes have started following the Hybrid examine our practices and identify where we the pandemic: the educational activities were their studies after leaving their campuses. This is a task for governments, institutions, and learning model (simultaneous online and can make changes to add value. With interrupted, the digital divide exposed the development partners, as well as for people in face-to-face learning). We will meet challenges, multiple opportunities also arise, socioeconomic inequality in distance Recognizing these challenges early-on general. While higher education institutions face-to-face during this time as per so work hard, make your voices heard, and education, and underserved and at-risk allowed Iqra University to design interventions are the first line of support for at-risk students, designated schedules. IU is carefully following keep striving for success with your teachers' students did not return to campuses when that mitigated the impact of the pandemic governments need to supplement their efforts National Command & Operation Center support. We wish you all the very best for a universities reopened. allowing students to smoothly resume their through targeted policies, frameworks, and (NCOC) directives to ensure our students, staff, funding geared towards achieving equality. and stakeholders' safety. Protective productive and stimulating semester. Quarterly Newsletter 04 equipment such as masks, hand sanitizers, and disinfectants are available on campus to It is essential to keep students connected to the ensure everyone's health and well-being. By doing your part, off-campus and on-campus in school and access quality teaching and learning, educational or extracurricular activities and maintaining social distancing protocols, you regardless of their socioeconomic background or can help minimize the risk of exposure to COVID-19. In the 'new public/private sector school status. Constant As we gradually transition back to campus for normal', IU contact with teachers and classmates is critical for face-to-face learning under certain restrictions, it is good to see the students' continues students’ learning, growth and development. anticipation, excitement, joy, and enthusiasm. The willingness to learn and the need to to provide a socially connect are evident with students’ Dr. Shams Idrees active participation in events, such as the roadmap for Professor Welcome Party for newcomers, the Open House, and the PUBG LAN Tournament Spring exceptional While the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic Dr. Shams Idrees, Professor at Iqra University, 2021. Similarly, the teachers who have always has spread across the world, the education underscores the need to keep students educational, centers have taken the hardest hit globally. connected to the school to access quality The emerging powers in higher education, teaching and learning, regardless of their studies. Teachers were trained to teach using research, and China and South Korea, were among the first socioeconomic background or public/private the online medium, the best online learning countries affected by the pandemic. The sector school status. Constant contact with management system in the world was student immediate actions were practically the same teachers and classmates is critical for acquired, and special measures were taken to for world-class universities, technical schools, students’ learning, growth and development. facilitate the students affected by the engagement and all kinds of