The Division was established on 16th October 1997 as a Cell and was
upgraded to the status of a full-fledged Division in 2002. To meet its
objectives, this Division has adopted a fourfold approach viz; collaboration,
coordination, cooperation and competition for expanding IGNOU’s reach in
the International arena.
The International Division is the nodal agency to cater to the needs of
Overseas Students as well as Foreign Students Residing in India (FSRI). The
division also functions as the coordinating agency for Overseas Study Centres
located in select countries across the globe. The International Division offers
select Academic Programmes of IGNOU to FSRIs (through Regional Centres
in India) and to Overseas Students (through Overseas Study Centres of the
University). The University offers about 59 academic programmes through
Overseas Study Centres, 193 academic programme to FSRI students.
Presently, IGNOU’s academic programmes are on offer through Sharjah and
Abu Dhabi in UAE, Kuwait, Jeddah and Riyadh in Kingdom of Saudi Arabia,
Kingdom of Bahrain and three OSCs in Sultanate of Oman among the Gulf
countries, Afghanistan, Sri Lanka and two OSCs in Nepal among the SAARC
countries, Ethiopia, Kenya and Ivory Coast in Africa, Kyrgyzstan in Central
Asia, Singapore and Mauritius.