SARGODHA: The University of Sargodha and Turkey’s Usak University signed on Tuesday a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to establish mutually beneficial scientific, technological and educational relations.
The agreement was inked by Dr Ishtiaq Ahmad, the Vice Chancellor Sargodha University, and Dr Ekrem SAVAS, Rector Usak Univeristy. Senior faculty members including Dr Fazal-ur-Rahman, Director Pakistan Institute of China Studies, Dr Muhammad Afzal, Dean Faculty of Agriculture, Dr Nawaz Tahir, Chairman Department of Physics, Dr Farooq Anwar, Director Office of Research, Innovation and Commercialization and others were also present.
Addressing the signing ceremony, Dr Ishtiaq Ahmad highlighted the longstanding warm relations between Turkey and Pakistan. He said that MoU with Usak University will promote people-to-people relations between Pakistan and Turkey by exchange of faculty and students from both sides.
He said that Sargodha University has incentivized the faculty to promote international collaborations and it is trying to develop greatly at many levels including international collaborations and linkages.
“As the geographical distance is large between both countries, we shall benefit from the technology for interactive sessions with Usak University by getting its faculty on online video conferences,” the Vice Chancellor added.
Dr Ekrem SAVAS said that joint projects carried out under the agreement would help in promotion of academic and research standards of the two institutes.
He said that Usak University will warmly welcome researchers, students and faculty members from Sargodha University and help it in collaborating with other major Turkish universities.
According to the agreement, both parties agreed to facilitate development of mutually beneficial exchanges/programs and promote research and educational relationships.
The pact will facilitate the exchange of academic staff members for the purpose of research, teaching and the presentation of special courses in their fields of specialization.
Under the agreement, joint research programs will be established and postgraduate students will be exchanged in respect of specific research projects or courses of interest and importance.
The parties will also exchange scientific and educational literature produced by either or both of the parties as well as the materials on the most relevant and topical research by researchers at both University of Sargodha and Usak University.
Besides the student and faculty exchanges on a reciprocal basis to pursue research, both institutions will also organize conferences, seminars and symposia on emerging research trends and interests.
Founded in 2006, the U?ak University Turkey is considered as the shining star of the region with its 11-year old young and dynamic national and international academic staff and student-centered management approach. It has become a pilot university in the fields of leather making, textiles and ceramics within the framework of the mission differentiation and specialization aimed at regional development.
The university has 12 faculties, three vocational schools providing undergraduate education, 11 vocational colleges providing pre-undergraduate education, three institutes providing post-graduate education and 27 research application centers.
