Kathmandu, February 10

Nepal Open University is all set to launch a Master’s degree programme from the upcoming academic session which starts from March. The university will also run online classes for the students.

NOU was established after President Bidhya Devi Bhandari authenticated the Open University Act on July 14, 2016. The university offers Master’s degree course in Pedagogy Science and the online classes will be starting from the second week of March. The university officials said if everything went as planned they would also launch M. Phil programme in education and Master’s degree programme in IT.

According to Lekhnath Sharma, the vice-chancellor of NOU, the university will run 68 programmes in three streams — Social Science and Education, Management and Law and Science, Health and Teaching faculty.

“Intensive research work is being carried out to run classes for three courses from March and admission notice will be published soon,” VC Sharma said.

NOU’s senate held on February 7 had finalised the faculties. The senate consists of six secretariats of various ministries, five education experts, and representatives of other universities, deans and directors of Tribhuvan University, NOU professors, three members of Non-Resident Nepali Association, and a member secretariat from NOU. The Education Minister will be the chancellor of the NOU.

Unlike traditional universities, open universities help to acquire university degrees without requiring attending classes.

Open universities offer reading materials, guidelines and assignments through internet. Students are asked to complete their assignments and do regular research, but are not required to attend classes. Students can also attend the professors’ lectures through internet where professors are required to upload their lectures on a regular basis. The NOU will offer undergraduate and graduate courses.

According to VC Sharma, NOU has started collaborating with acclaimed e-learning project called Modular Object-Oriented Dynamic Learning Environment for the purpose. MOODLE is an internet-based education website through which students gets access to assignments and lectures, and they can also upload their assignments on the website.

The students will be provided the username and password of MOODLE after being enrolled for the desired course.

VC Sharma said, “Students can listen, watch and even ask question during the live lectures through MOODLE which happens in predetermined time called ‘synchronous mode’ or even listen to the recorded lecture in ‘asynchronous mode’. But, students must submit their required assignments in order to get access to further classes.”

Students can connect themselves with other students through various social media for interaction and group discussion. Sharma also told that they were holding talks with American and British universities to introduce collaborative programmes.

According to MOODLE website, it offers 1.4 million courses worldwide and more than 14 million people are undertaking various courses.