'Universities must work creatively'

The Punjab government has given a comprehensive roadmap to the public sector universities to help raising their overall institutional standards according to universal requirements. It's also working to provide best educational and research facilities in the higher education institutions, so that the students could excel through quality education. This would help Pakistan to develop knowledge-economy and produce various new economic-opportunities to alleviate poverty at the grassroots.
This was stated by provincial higher education minister Syed Raza Ali Gillani while addressing the 5th annual convocation of the University of Education, Lahore on Tuesday. In his key-note address, the minister said that the contemporary universities should also strive to transcend traditional disciplinary limitations in pursuit of intellectual fusion and develop a supportive culture of academic enterprise and knowledge-entrepreneurship. Our universities must also be prepared to deliver higher education and promote creative thinking in students.
He said the universities must work creatively and help transform students to emerge as even greater forces of societal transformation. They should provide unique intellectual environments that prepare students to be "master thinkers", able to grasp a wide array of skills. He observed that the higher education generates broader economic growth as well as individual success. Due to the advent of global knowledge-economy, universities now compete globally in any given field of study.
Gillani added that the university education is a critical component of human development world-wide. An educated populace is vital in today's world of 21st century, with the convergent impacts of globalisation, the increasing importance of knowledge as a main driver of growth and the information and communication revolution.
The role of the universities in the promotion of science and technology is universally acknowledged, as research and development cannot thrive without a strong higher education base. Keeping these things in view, balanced human development is one of our priority agenda, he said.
Chairman Punjab higher education commission Dr Nizamuddin also spoke on the occasion. Earlier, vice chancellor University of Education Dr Rauf e Azam presented his welcome address and spoke about various aspects of university's growth and developments. Later, the minister for higher education Raza Gillani distributed medals and certificates among the students.