Getting Started

As in any conventional university, you will attend lectures, interact with your tutors and peers and take semester examinations – the big difference being the method used for these activities. Virtual University lectures are delivered through the use of broadcast television, DVDs and even the Internet. All student-teacher interaction takes place over the Internet using a comprehensive Learning Management System (VU-LMS) deployed for this purpose on VU's servers. Examinations are conducted in a formal proctored environment at designated centers across the country using software designed specially for this purpose by the Virtual University of Pakistan.

The Virtual University Learning Management System is a comprehensive software platform that allows students to manage their educational experience while studying at the University. The VU-LMS allows you to:

• Maintain and update your personal information
• Receive important announcements from the University
• Maintain a personal diary and notes
• View your lecture schedule
• Read lecture notes
• Download assignments and submit your solutions for grading
• Ask questions from your tutors and receive replies to the same
• Participate in quizzes and class discussions
• View your results and monitor your academic progress through your grade book
• View your fee status and download your fee vouchers for payment at the bank
• Access a host of student services such as requesting for lost Id Cards etc.

You may want to refer to the Orientation CD that you received with your Admission Package for further information about the above features.

• Watch the Orientation Video sent to you in the Admission Package. This video will give you an overview of the University, VU-LMS and the VU Exam system.
• Now you should login using the login name and password provided to you by the University. Navigate through the various features of VU-LMS and familiarize yourself with them.

You should never share your password with anyone. Doing so may divulge your personal information that you may not have wanted to share. Remember: you will be held personally responsible for all actions performed through your LMS account.

• In your LMS account you will see the courses you are registered for during the current semester.
• When you enter each course's website, you will see a list of recommended books under the “Books” tab. You are urged to obtain the recommended books since they will help you achieve a deeper understanding of the subject material.

• Course lectures are broadcast on the Virtual University's TV channels, VTV1, 2, 3 & 4. You can see your timetable from the “Lecture Schedule” tab in your LMS. Please contact your local Cable Operator if you can not access these channels. The list of Cable Operators can be accessed from the VU homepage under Student Services.
• Virtual University has also established a full channel on the very popular youtube web site. To view lectures at any time of your convenience, you can visit http://www.youtube.com/vu. The same link is available on the main VU website under VU Lecture Videos.
• Finally, you can obtain all VU courses on DVDs from the Virtual University bookshop at nominal cost. Each DVD carries one complete course and frees you from the time constraints of the broadcast schedule and the bandwidth requirements of the online lectures.

• If you are registered at a VU campus, you will be provided computer access and Internet connectivity free of cost.
• However, if you are studying from home you will need to have your own computer and an Internet connection.
• DSL Broadband Internet Connectivity is available to VU students at subsidized costs.
• The same DSL Broadband facility can also be availed by campus students who have their own computers.

• Course Handouts are available on each course's website from the Lessons tab as well as the Download tab.
• They are also available for free download in the VU Content Library.
• In case you wish to acquire a paper copy of the handouts, you can buy them from the University’s Bookshop.

• Try to list down your daily activities along with approximate time required for each activity. This will help you in effectively managing your time.