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Hyd: BRAOU to open foreign languages centre soon
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Hyderabad, Aug 28 (UNI) Dr B R Ambedkar Open University (BRAOU) will soon establish a Foreign Languages Centre as part of its efforts to expand its academic offerings and strengthen its digital education initiatives, Vice-Chancellor Prof Ghanta Chakrapani said on Friday.
Addressing the university's 45th Foundation Day celebrations here, Chakrapani said BRAOU was transforming from a conventional distance education institution into a full-fledged digital and online university by adopting modern technology, online learning and artificial intelligence.
The university celebrated its 45th Foundation Day with a special lecture on "BRAOU and the Promise of Democratised Education".
Academic Director Prof G Pushpa Chakrapani presided over the programme.
The Vice-Chancellor said BRAOU had played an important role in making higher education accessible to students from diverse social and economic backgrounds.
The university was established to provide higher education opportunities to those unable to pursue conventional courses and was now adapting to changing technological requirements, he said.
He said the university was moving forward with a focus on inclusiveness, accessibility and quality education, with the support of the Telangana government and in line with the vision of Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy.
Chakrapani said the university had introduced several digital initiatives and had recently launched an "AI for Teachers" course to train teachers working in government schools.
The University Grants Commission had also permitted BRAOU to offer courses through digital and online modes, he said.
Dr B Shadrach, Director, Commonwealth Educational Media Centre for Asia (CEMCA), New Delhi, while delivering the keynote address on "BRAOU and the Promise of Democratised Education", said open and distance learning, supported by digital technologies, open educational resources and innovative learning models, could further expand access to higher education irrespective of geographical and socio-economic barriers.
He said asynchronous digital learning enabled students to learn according to their time, pace, language and individual needs. Farmers, homemakers and working professionals could pursue education alongside their regular responsibilities, he said.
AI-driven personalised learning was making education more adaptive and learner-centric, while digital platforms were helping institutions reduce physical and geographical limitations and reach more learners, Shadrach said.
He highlighted BRAOU's multi-channel initiatives, including BRAOU TV, Hi-BRAOU Digital Radio, iBooks and the integrated DigiLibrary, saying these platforms could help learners access educational content through different devices and both online and offline modes.
Prof G Pushpa said BRAOU remained committed to social justice and inclusive education and was continuously updating its academic policies to meet the changing needs of students. She outlined recent academic reforms, newly approved UGC courses and the university's transition towards a digital education model.
Earlier, floral tributes were paid to the statue of Bharat Ratna Dr B R Ambedkar and the portrait of Prof G Ram Reddy, regarded as a pioneer of distance education in the country.
Registrar Dr L Vijaya Krishna Reddy, senior faculty members, former Vice-Chancellors and faculty members, heads of departments, deans, representatives of employee associations and teaching and non-teaching staff attended the programme.