Islamabad: (Parliament Times) President Azad Jammu and Kashmir Sardar Masood Khan has emphasized the need to invest in innovative and cutting-edge disciplines at the public sector universities across AJK helping promote quality higher education.
The President made these remarks while chairing the Senate Committee meeting of the Mirpur University of Science and Technology (MUST), here at Jammu and Kashmir House.
On the occasion, Prof. Dr. Habib-ur-Rehman, Vice Chancellor MUST also presented a comprehensive report on the achievements and activities of the University. The VC said that over the years MUST has taken considerable strides in investing in their academics and today a total of 66 PhD faculty members are teaching various disciplines at the university and in the previous year alone 336 research papers have been published in journals of international repute and presented at international and national conferences.
Emphasising the need to invest in human resource, innovation and research, the President urged organizing job fairs at all universities and inviting relevant industry players in finding internships, placements and jobs in the public and private sector organizations. VC MUST informed that the Graduate Placement Bureau has been working in the university and during the last year internships and placements of over 500 students and jobs for 70 students had been secured.
The President commended the universities efforts in encouraging community service under various outreach programs like identifying the slope failure of the Mangla Dam at Mirpur-Kotli road by the Civil Engineering Department and providing the technical assistance and consultancy service. He also praised the efforts of MUST in delivering services in Telemedicine in the areas adjoining Mirpur with the assistance Healthcare for All International, UK.
President Masood Khan underlined the need to uphold merit and transparency in appointments and admissions in order to help make AJK Universities nationally and regionally competitive. The President was informed that the University had scored 91.50 points in the league table position in the Higher Education Commission (HEC) Quality Guide 2017.
President AJK – the Chancellor of public sector universities in AJK – highlighted the need to promote modern cutting-edge disciplines at the university especially in the fields of Biotechnology, Information and Communication Technology, Artificial Intelligence and Nanotechnology. He also congratulated the University management for winning one of the 13 grants allocated by the Federal Government for establishing an Artificial Intelligence Laboratory.
It was informed during the meeting that the establishment of MUST sub-campus at Pallandri has been approved and classes will be initiated at the Government Postgraduate College, Pallandri. The Vice-Chancellor informed that the College premises including hostels would be renovated and developed under the umbrella project and funding of the HEC.
President Masood Khan also instructed that procedural formalities for establishing a full-fledged dedicated sub-campus be completed and so that construction may begin on the 523 Kanal and 09 Marla plot of land allotted for the project. He urged the university management to ensure the highest educational standards are followed and similarly the best lodging facilities are provided to the students, faculty and the management.
The meeting was attended by the Prof. Dr. Samina Amin Qadir, VC Fatima Jinnah Women University; Dr. Muhammad, Professor International; Mr. Muhammad Zahid Khan, Secretary Higher Education AJK and Engr. Nadeem Ashraf, General Manager NESPAK.