Sargodha: (Parliament Times) Recognizing the mutual benefits to be gained through a cooperative program promoting scholarly activities and international understanding, University of Sargodha and South China Agricultural University signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Thursday.
The MoU was signed by Dr Ishtiaq Ahmed, Vice Chancellor University of Sargodha (UoS) and Xiaoyang CHEN, President South China Agricultural University (SCAU).
According to the MoU, both parties will actively explore the establishment of a joint agricultural research institute between them when both think the right time comes based on the positive outcome.
Additionally, under this MoU, both universities would organize, promote, staff and coordinate long and short-term staff and student exchanges and other academic and cultural activities by developing Confucius Institute at UOS main Campus and facilitate and coordinate joint research ventures, curriculum development by establishing some research centers based on mutual interest.
At signing of the MoU, Vice Chancellor UoS said that the purpose of this MoU was to record formally the mutual interest of UoS and SCAU in exploring collaborative teaching, research, training and capacity building to address research opportunities in Pakistan and China, for the mutual benefits of both parties and in investigating funding sources to realize these opportunities.
Other objectives of the MoU include: coordination of special short-term academic programs, including short-term seminars to introduce staff and students of the institutions to general cultural activities and other areas of specialized teaching & learning; and enhancing the capacity of the two Universities to carry out relevant research and to secure the required external funding for same.
It was also decided that fellowships for young researchers and Post- doc of both universities in China and Pakistan would also be initiated.
Xiaoyang CHEN, President SCAU said that this agreement is the beginning of a long-term relationship between SCAU and UoS under which various faculties, departments, centers and units of partner institutions will be able to collaborate in areas that will be of mutual benefit. He briefed the vice chancellor UoS about the potential opportunities to build liaison with more Chinese university.
Dr Afzal Dean Faculty of Agriculture, Dr Nazra Sultana Dean Faculty of Sciences, Dr Nawaz Mehsud, Dean Faculty of Arts, Dr Farooq, Director ORIC, Dr Abdul Rauf, Director Academics, Dr Muhammad Abu Bakar, Principal Agriculture College, Dr Humair Akram, Principal Sargodha Medical College, Dr Noman and other faculty heads participated in the signing ceremony of the MoU.
It is pertinent to mention here that the SCAU is a public university in Guangzhou, Guangdong, China. The university was founded in 1909 and it has 94 undergraduate programs, 107 master degree programs, and 59 doctorate programs, in 5 national key disciplines. There are total 26 colleges (departments). The total enrollment of regular students is over 42,000, comprising 38,000 undergraduates, 4,000 graduates and 227 foreign students from 62 countries and regions.
