BOU set to launch full online academic programmes

Bangladesh Open University (BOU) will set to launch its first full online academic programmes very soon as part of its plan to turn it into a full-fledged digital university by 2016, moving one step forward with the government's vision to establish Digital Bangladesh, reports UNB.
The BOU, country's lone off-campus public university, will also start distributing e-books among its students from June this year as part of its move to stop distributing printed books in the future.
"Structural development to turn it into a full-fledged digital university is at the last stage while we're now working on technical aspects. I think, the demand of the university will increase once it is turned into a digital one," Vice Chancellor of BOU Professor Dr MA Mannan told the news agency at his office at the university's Gazipur head office recently.
"We'll introduce online diploma in journalism and media studies and M Ed courses. The diploma in journalism will be offered for those professional journalists who have different academic backgrounds other than journalism, while the master's degree course for those who obtained honours degree in journalism but yet to receive master's," Mannan said.
The students will meet once a month in a classroom lecture and they will receive education materials online other time, Mannan added.
The VC, who took over charges in 2013, said the BOU will introduce honours and master's degree courses in journalism and media studies in phases.
To turn the university into a digital one, the BOU has taken steps to introduce web TV and radio utilising its own manpower, he said.
"We've already started test transmission of our web TV and Radio. I hope it'll go into formal transmission in July this year," the VC said