ISLAMABAD: President Dr Arif Alvi on Tuesday urged the universities to increase the quantum of online education and focus on research and innovation to promote quality education in the country.

He said the universities needed to shape their vision in a way to prepare students to cope with challenges of fast changing world. The President gave these remarks during a meeting with a delegation of National University of Modern Languages (NUML), Islamabad, here at the Aiwan-e-Sadr.

Rector NUML Major General Muhammad Jaffer (retd) gave a presentation about the role of university in promotion of education in the country, said a statement issued by the President House. The Rector NUML informed that 22,000 students were enrolled in various programmes of the university and over 77,000 had graduated from it.

He informed that the university had awarded scholarships to students, including the persons with disabilities, amounting to Rs340 million during the fiscal year 2020-21. Appreciating the role of university in educational development of the country, the President emphasized that higher education institutions required to produce intellectually supreme graduates to meet the challenges of the 21st century.

He asked the management of university to establish an Information Technology Department to impart latest technology skills which help them get employment and help them to contribute positively in the nation's economic development. The President also appreciated the performance of NUML University in the fields of research and publications in various languages.