The Virtual University is Pakistan's first public sector university based completely on modern Information and Communication Technologies. The University opened its virtual doors in 2002 using television broadcasts and the Internet thereby allowing students to follow its programs regardless of their physical location. At VU, the top professors of the country, regardless of their institutional affi
liations, develop and deliver hand-crafted courses. The University holds a Federal Charter, making its degrees recognized and accepted all over the country as well as overseas. Pakistani students residing overseas in several other countries have also enrolled in the University’s programs. The University relies on digital media, Internet and free-to-air satellite television broadcasts to impart education. The University has its own four television channels (VTV1, VTV2, VTV3 & VTV4) and students have the liberty to watch their lectures in the comfortable surroundings of their homes which become virtual classrooms of VU or at any of the many VU campuses spread all over the country. These lectures are also available in DVD format and can easily be purchased at a minimal cost from University’s on-line Bookshop (http://bookshop.vu.edu.pk/). The lecture videos are also available on the globally popular YouTube site http://www.youtube.com/vu. Over 6000 video lectures on YouTube make it one of the largest contributions by any university to the Open Education Resources (OER) movement. VU has now published all courses on its open courseware site (http://ocw.vu.edu.pk/), and thereby joined the ranks with top universities of the world. VU’s open courseware website has been ranked as the best new open courseware website for the year 2012 by the international OCW Consortium. The students and teachers use the Internet to interact with each other. For this purpose the Virtual University has developed an online Learning Management System (LMS) through which the students have 24/7 access to reading material, lecture videos and notes and prescribed texts. The LMS is also used to hand out assignments to students and hold pop quizzes and practice tests. This innovative and unique mechanism for the delivery of education adopted by VU offers a high degree of flexibility to students who may view the lectures at a time of their choice. Milestones
2016
Virtual University signs MoU with Dharmavahini Foundation, Sri Lanka
MoU signed between Virtual University and Government College Women University, Faisalabad
Virtual University signs MoU with UET, Taxila
Virtual University Of Pakistan signs MoU with Dow University of Health Sciences
Virtual University signs MoU with University Of Education
2015
Virtual University Signed MoU With NADRA Technologies
Virtual University Revamps Website
MoU signed between Virtual University and Pakistan Institute of Management
MoU signed between Virtual University and Abudawood Trading Company (Pvt.) MoU signed between Virtual University and J & U International, Pakistan-Dubai-Canada
MoU Signed between VU and Diamond Group
2014
MoU Signed Between VU and GCCI
QAA, HEC Awards "W" category to VU QEC for 2014-15
Joint initiative: MoU Signed Between Virtual University of Pakistan and University of Sargodha
MoU between Virtual University of Pakistan and IBA, Karachi
Virtual University Launches Online Research Journal
MOU linked between VU and TVET Reform Support Program
Launch of Virtual University's DQE (Directorate of Quality Enhancement) Website
2013
VU's Directorate of Quality Enhancement (DQE) ranked highest "W" category again by HEC
VU's Directorate of Quality Enhancement (DQE) ranked highest "W" category by HEC
MoU between Virtual University of Pakistan and University of Poonch, Rawalakot, Azad Jammu & Kashmir
MoU between Virtual University of Pakistan and GC University Faisalabad
2012
CPD workshop at Virtual University of Pakistan
MoU between Virtual University of Pakistan and University of the Punjab
Virtual University enrollment crosses 100,000 students
Virtual University signs agreement with Nile Valley University and El Neelain University, Sudan
VU’s Open Courseware website declared best OCW website of year 2012
Federal Secretary Ministry of Information Technology and Telecommunication Farooq Ahmed Awan visit Virtual University of Pakistan
2011
Launch of Virtual University Open Courseware
Pakistan Engineering Council (PEC), Islamabad
2010
Karakoram International University, Gilgit
Selected to lead second IDRC(Canada) funded Asia Wide Research Project
2009
Karachi Chamber of Commerce & Industry (KCCI), Karachi
Launch of Virtual University Radio(VUR)
Islamabad Chamber of Commerce & Industry (ICCI), Islamabad
LESCO for IT Training of Staff, Lahore
VU is the National Coordinator for National Video Conferencing Program
National University of Science & Technology (NUST), Islamabad
MoU between Virtual University of Pakistan and University of Huddersfield, UK
MoU between Virtual University of Pakistan and University of Bradford, UK
Govt. of Punjab & LINC-MIT (USA) for BLOSSOMS Project
2008
Launch of WebTV
Introduction of new VU e-Examination System
VU goes global - all video lectures placed on Youtube
2007
Launch of Joint Study Program with UVAS, Lahore
2005
Selected to lead Asia-wide DE Research project by IDRC(Canada)
2004
Virtual University starts broadcast of its own channels
2002
Federal Charter granted by Government of Pakistan
Inauguration & launch of BS(CS) & BS(IT) programs
Founded on March 23, 2002
