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Unisa and the Virtual University of Pakistan forge a strategic partnership

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On 5 May 2025, at the International Conference on Higher Education, Teaching and Learning hosted by Unisa, Prof Puleng LenkaBula, Unisa Principal and Vice-Chancellor, and Prof Dr Mohsin Javed, representing the Rector of the Virtual University of Pakistan (VUP), signed a letter of intent.

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Seated, from left: Prof Dr Muhammad Mohsin Javed, representing the Rector of VUP; Prof Puleng LenkaBula, Principal and Vice-Chancellor, Unisa; and Prof Eunice Seekoe, Acting Vice-Principal: Teaching, Learning, Community Engagement and Student Support, Unisa

Standing, from left: Dr Moses Hlongoane, Executive Dean, College of Accounting Sciences, Unisa; Prof Thinandavha Mashau, Deputy Executive Dean, College of Human Sciences, Unisa; Prof Madipoane Masenya, Executive Director, Office of the Vice-Chancellor, Unisa; and Prof Meahabo Magano, Executive Director, Department of Tuition Support and Facilitation of Learning, Unisa

This letter of intent underscores the status of Unisa as the largest comprehensive, open and distance e-learning university in South Africa and the longest-standing dedicated distance education university in Africa and the world. Unisa is an international university with world-class resources, guided by its vision and mission to drive African scholarship and the Africa agenda through collaborations, partnerships and internationalisation, providing accredited and quality-approved teaching and learning, research, innovation, engaged scholarship programmes and offerings to close to half a million students in South Africa, Africa and the rest of the world.

VUP, Pakistan’s first university entirely based on modern information and communication technologies, was established by the Pakistani Government as a public sector, not-for-profit institution with a clear mission to provide highly affordable world-class education to aspiring students all over the country, allowing students to follow its rigorous programmes regardless of their physical locations using free-to-air satellite television broadcasts and the internet. VUP aims to alleviate the lack of capacity in the existing universities while simultaneously tackling the acute shortage of qualified professors in the country.

Both Unisa and VUP deem it mutually beneficial to strengthen the bonds between the two academic communities, contribute to a greater understanding and communication between the two cultures, and advance collaboration and internationalisation covering wide areas, but with specific interest in teaching, learning, student support and quality assurance. The themes of joint activities, conditions for utilising the research results, arranging specific visits, exchanges and other activities will be developed mutually by both partners. They will be outlined in a separate memorandum of understanding.

The mutual assistance to be provided by each contracting party will be specifically in the areas of teaching and learning, including student support, engaged scholarship, exchange of resources, curriculum development, quality assurance and enhancement, and other programmes deemed beneficial by the two parties.

Areas of co-operation will include the following:

  • Advance and benchmark academic quality assurance of regional support models, technologically enhanced academic trends, integrity in online classes and assessments
  • Promote academic integrity as part of ethical conduct
  • Consider disabilities as a factor in learning
  • Share best practices and models to curb the dropout rate
  • Share best practices and models to promote student retention
  • Advance collaboration in key areas of work-integrated learning, recognition of prior learning, multilingualism, academic literacies and other co-curriculum activities
  • Promote student support and capacity through online classes, online study material and e-tutoring
  • Advance scholarship of teaching and learning

Both institutions have agreed to designate Prof Dr Muhammad Mohsin Javed of VUP and Prof Meahabo Magano of Unisa as coordinators to facilitate further engagements to concretise the areas of collaboration and formalise their relationship in a memorandum of understanding.

This letter of intent shall be effective after approval by the appropriate authorities of the universities. It will remain in effect for a period of up to one year. Thereafter, or during the process of this letter of intent, both parties can agree to enter into a memorandum of understanding.

* Submitted by Prof MD Magano, Executive Director, Department: Tuition Support and Facilitation of Learning

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Publish date: 2025-05-26 00:00:00.0

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