The Continuing Education and Virtual Training Center of Qom University of Technology has successfully conducted courses in 2019, receiving an evaluation of "excellent" from participants.
The head of the Center for Free and Virtual Education at Qom University of Technology, in an interview with the university's public relations, discussed the necessity and significance of the center’s role in the university. He continued by describing the center’s approach as a complement to the university’s educational system, which, in addition to compensating for the obstacles and limitations of centralized education, has opened new horizons for development and innovation in education. In this interview, he referred to the academic standing and position of Qom University of Technology, noting that the Center for Free and Virtual Education has, shortly after its establishment, managed to conduct various high-quality training courses, making a significant contribution to the enhancement of the technical and scientific level of other centers and executive agencies in the province. A summary of his statements in the conversation with the university's public relations is as follows: Effective and suitable education is one of the most important foundational factors in creating developed societies. An examination of the factors influencing the advancement of progressive societies shows that these countries benefit from capable educational systems. Currently, considering the numerous changes in human lifestyles and the time and space limitations that individuals face, finding new methods that can alleviate these restrictions and provide various educational opportunities to members of society seems essential. One of the most important of these methods is the e-learning or virtual education system, which, with the expansion of communication technologies, especially the internet, is increasingly gaining importance. In fact, the evolution of the e-learning method is a response to inquisitive individuals who seek learning opportunities but cannot use conventional educational systems due to specific time and space limitations. Another important approach that can significantly empower and enhance the skills of community members in professional and practical sectors is the provision of free education. Providing education tailored to the needs of different societal groups by universities and scientific centers to individuals who are not necessarily formal students can bridge the scientific and cultural gaps existing among various groups in society and create the ground for making theoretical sciences more applicable in the community. Accordingly, the Center for Free and Virtual Education at Qom University of Technology has actively continued, as in previous years, to offer high-quality education and leverage its experiences in conducting multiple and diverse educational courses at the provincial and national levels (including dozens of basic engineering promotion courses, onboarding training sessions, and continuous professional development courses, as well as various courses on standards, safety, and health; regional electricity; provincial electricity; water and sewage) with access to standard educational facilities, including an independent equipped seminar hall, comprehensive equipped conference centers, various specialized laboratories and workshops, computer sites, optimized welfare facilities, and excellent execution methods in organizing courses, testing, and evaluation, aimed at delivering educational programs for employees of offices, organizations, and executive agencies in Qom province. In the past year, the center has collaborated extensively with the Technical and Vocational Training Organization to sign multiple educational memoranda of understanding aimed at activating the center to enhance students' technical knowledge (focusing on career counseling and skill acquisition) and following up on establishing a skill development management and career counseling center, foreign language schools, standard collaborating companies, the Pooyesh Higher Education Center, Farabi Campus of Tehran University, and Qom Branch of Azad University (in matters of free education for laboratory courses), the Building Engineering System Organization (HSE training course), and the regional electricity company of Qom (technical report writing and transfer courses), providing high-quality educational services to learners from those centers, with excellent evaluation results by the participants. This center has also actively collaborated with student scientific associations, student organizations, and other student groups in executing educational courses, as in previous years, aiming to enhance the knowledge and skills of university students. This official concluded the interview by thanking the esteemed Vice President for Education and Research of the university and expressed hope that with the efforts of the dedicated individuals at this center and constructive collaboration among professors, students, and active participants from other scientific and production centers in the province, they can play a significant role in the national drive for production leap.
