PU conference: Govt urged to halt establishment of new general universities

LAHORE: The government is being urged to halt the establishment of new general universities, with a focus instead on specialized institutions geared towards addressing societal needs through education and research.

These sentiments were voiced during the conference session titled “Media, Industry and Universities Linkage for Social Impact Research and Practice,” held as part of the 9th Invention to Innovation Summit at Punjab University.

Dr Nizamuddin, former Chairperson of the Punjab Higher Education Commission, presided as the chief guest, alongside session organizer Dr Shabir Sarwar, heads of mass communication departments from various universities, and esteemed journalists.

Speakers emphasized the necessity of enhancing existing university systems and concurrently advancing technical education, asserting that the proliferation of universities and students has exacerbated unemployment due to the persistence of traditional educational models ill-suited to market demands. They cited global trends favouring the transformation of universities into hubs for technical education and skill development.

Distinguished attendees, including Dr Shabbir Sarwar, Editor of the Educationist; Dr Shakeel Ahmed, Director of ORIC at Punjab University; and Dr Mujahid Mansoori, a columnist at Daily Jang, deliberated on strategies to elevate research quality within Pakistani universities, aligning it with societal and market exigencies. Furthermore, they underscored the imperative of holding researchers accountable for the substantial funding received from the Higher Education Commission.

In addition to advocating for media and academia collaboration, speakers proposed bolstering the nexus between the media industry and educational institutions to harness student potential effectively and address societal challenges. The event witnessed participation from prominent figures such as Prof Dr Abdul Qayyum, Chairperson of Punjab University’s Department of Elementary Education; Dr Amir Bajwa, Dean of Lahore Garrison University; and several other notable personalities.

The discourse illuminated pathways towards enhancing societal welfare through synergistic efforts between academia, media, and industry, signalling a collective commitment to fostering meaningful social impact research and practice.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2024