On the occasion of World’s Women Day the Hamdard Laboratories (Waqf) Pakistan organised a Women’s Day Carnival at Bilawal stadium, Hamdard Public School, where different fun filled activities were organized for the women staff members of Hamdard group including cricket matches, badminton, balloon shooting, arm wrestling, tug of war, carrom, camel riding, dart game and volleyball matches.

The President of Hamdard Foundation Pakistan, Ms Sadia Rashid graced the event as Chief Guest along with Dr Ahsana Dar – Dean Faculty of Eastern Medicine, Hamdard University while Prof Malahat Kaleem Sherwani Director Bait al-Hikmah, faculty members Prof Dr Shamim Akhter dean faculty of Pharmacy, M. S. Kausar coordinator to Vice-Chancellor HU and other staff members were also present on the occasion.

While praising the performance of women athletes, Ms Sadia Rashid remarked that in Islam, women are endowed with all the fundamental rights that are not granted to them in any other society. She further stated that the women in our community possess a wide range of talents and capabilities and can achieve great feats provided they are given positive opportunities.

In the Hamdard Premier League Women’s Day Special, Cricket teams of Hamdard Public School, Hamdard Laboratories (Waqf) Pakistan, Hamdard University staff and Hamdard University students played friendly matches with each other. Where Hamdard University students won the tournament and Hamdard Public School stood runner up.

President Hamdard Foundation Pakistan Ms. Sadia Rashid distributed the trophies amongst the players.

Related: Hamdard University awards 1212 degrees in its 25th Convocation

A memorandum of understanding (MoU) was signed between the Pakistan Biological Safety Association (PBSA) and the University of Gwadar on 6th March 2023 at the University of Gwadar to promote academic and scientific and biological research between the two institutions.

Dolat Khan, Registrar University of Gwadar, and Prof Dr Saeed Khan, President PBSA signed the agreement during his visit to Gwadar University.

According to the document, both parties agreed to jointly conduct biosafety and biosecurity training workshops. The PBSA will facilitate and provide opportunities for the University of Gwadar’s faculty members for participating in activities regarding  the International Federation of Biosafety Associations (IFBA) certification exam.

PSO to Vice Chancellor Gwadar University Rahmatullah, Assistant Registrar, Abdul Majid, and administrators were also present on the occasion.

Earlier, a three days workshop on “Biosafety and Biosecurity Practices: Emphasis on Personal Safety of a Lab Biologist” organized by the Pakistan Biological Safety Association in collaboration with the University of Gwadar has been launched on 5th March 2023. President PBSA Prof Dr Saeed Khan leads the workshop on biological Safety and good practices.

Related: Gwadar University approved retirement plans & health allowances

President Dr Arif Alvi said on Monday that education, health, welfare and women empowerment were the most important factors for a proper growth of any society. Arif Alvi said this while visiting the department of special needs in the University of Management & Technology (UMT) here. First Lady Samina Alvi also accompanied the president.

Giving an example of China, the President said that China had made enormous progress through improving its education and health sectors. It was very unfortunate that there were almost more than 20 million out of school children in Pakistan and it was need of the hour to enroll them, he added.

He said it was highly important to promote the concept of inclusion in society. “If we look around, almost every family has a child who was deprived of any one of the five basic senses”, he observed.

Dr Arif Alvi said there was a need to change attitudes of the society towards differently-abled persons and jobs should be created to match their abilities. He said, “Time is coming when no nation can make progress without ensuring inclusiveness in its society.” He said, “Only 9 percent of our F.Sc. students go to universities and some 18 to 20 per cent students go up to intermediate level which is not a good percentage at all.” With rapid advancement in technology, the world was changing as there were a lot of mobile applications which were very helpful for people with disabilities, he said.

He further said, “The country has a lot of potential, adding that it is of utmost importance for the country not to deviate from its priorities.” Dr Arif Alvi said that inflation was the biggest challenge and it was in dire need to control it in the larger interest of people.

President UMT Ibrahim Hassan Murad and Prof Dr Abdul Hameed also spoke on the occasion.  Later, President Dr Arif Alvi and First Lady Samina Alvi witnessed different projects of the differently-abled students and also interacted with them.

The students also briefed the President and First Lady about their research work.

Related: UMT Career Fair 2023 Calls Together 124 Companies

Pakistan Science Foundation (PSF) has announced a research grant to support scientists and researchers in developing and commercialization of products in the fields of Artificial Intelligence, Nanotechnology, Material and Artificial Intelligence under the Competitive Research Programme.

Scientists, engineers, technologists, innovators, academia and entrepreneurs from Research and Development (R&D) institutions, HEC-recognized universities and industries who have already completed the first stage of research and development work and need financial support for the utilization of their research outcomes to develop new products, prototypes, pilot-scale production and commercialization can apply for the grant, an official of PSF informed.

Besides, the “lone” innovators / start-ups or Small and Medium Enterprises have launched a new product, technology, technique, or process and want to bring value addition or improvement alone or in partnership with scientists, technologists and academic R&D institutes and HEC-recognized universities are also encouraged to apply.

The grants are available for a period of up to two years in the streams including individual researchers/lone innovators/start-ups (up to 10 million budget), consortium research groups (multidisciplinary research groups up to 20 million budget), and Triple Helix model (collaborative research projects between academia, R&D organizations, and industry up to 20 million budget).

This funding opportunity aims to promote the utilization of R&D outcomes in economic development through export push and import substitution while saving foreign exchange in Pakistan.

Scientists, engineers, technologists, innovators, academia, lone innovators and entrepreneurs from R&D institutes, HEC-recognized universities and industry, start-ups, or SMEs.

The Principal Investigator should be from an HEC-recognized University or a public sector R&D organization/ private industry/start-up/SME that can be taken on board for pilot scale or commercial trials, production and marketing activities.

About the nature of the projects, the official informed that the duration for the execution or completion of the project will be a maximum of up to 2 years with a maximum funding limit of up to Rs. 20.00 Million (Rs. 10 Million for Individual Researchers), the official said.

The Competitive Research Grants will be provided for the Creation of new knowledge through patents, technology transfer and publications, development of new processes, products, prototypes or applications through indigenous skills, and value addition in the existing products/prototypes/ processes according to the needs of the economy and Pilot Plant Studies.

The concept proposals must be submitted online and can be accessed via the PSF website. The foundation only accepts Concept Paper submissions through the RGMS online web portal.

The Government College University (GCU) Lahore has recently launched a Mega Plantation Drive 2023 on its new 400-acre campus, with the aim of planting 38,000 trees. The initiative is being led by the Horticulture Society of GCU and was inaugurated by the Vice Chancellor, Prof Dr Asghar Zaidi, along with students.

The event was attended by Dr Kanwal Nazim, the President of the Society for Environment and Mangrove Protection (SEMP), who donated plants to GCU as part of the plantation drive. Speaking at the event, Prof Zaidi emphasized the importance of the initiative for environmental sustainability and the aesthetic value of the new campus.

The Vice-Chancellor highlighted that indigenous plants of fruits, such as Orange and Guava, are being planted to create a full eco-system. He also mentioned that the plantation would attract more birds to the campus. Prof Zaidi expressed his gratitude to GCU alumni and environmental organizations for joining the university in this plantation drive.

The event was attended by faculty members, students, and members of the community who expressed their support for the initiative.

They appreciated that the Mega Plantation Drive 2023 is a positive step towards promoting afforestation, environmental conservation, and sustainability. It is expected to enhance the beauty of the campus and contribute to a healthier environment.

Related: GCU establishes Department of Translation Studies

Punjab University (PU) Department of Film and Broadcasting has organized a seminar on ‘Media and Public Health’ in Hameed Nizami Hall.

On this occasion, Provincial Minister for Primary and Secondary Health Dr Jamal Nasir, PU VC Prof Dr Niaz Ahmed Akhtar, CEO Health Department Dr Shoaib Garmani, Dean Faculty of Information Management and Media Studies Prof Dr Khalid Mahmood, Director School of Communication Sciences Prof Dr Noshina Saleem, Chairperson Department of Film and Broadcasting Prof Dr Lubna Zaheer, faculty members and students were present.

In his speech, Dr Nasir Jamal said that the media needs to play an active role in eradicating diseases. He said that politics is being discussed on TV channels every evening, but no one talks about the problems of the poor. He said that if the problems and diseases of the poor were not discussed in the media, the problems would not be solved. He said that the work of doctors was to inspire against diseases on TV and 90 percent of diseases were preventable with precautionary measures.

He said that the Muslims ruled the world as long as they gave priority to knowledge. He said that there was a huge hue and cry when Covid 19 attacked the rich but there is no discussion about the diseases from which millions of the poor people are dying. He said that nobody cares about hepatitis, diarrhea and pneumonia and other such diseases from which the poor people were suffering. He said that ideal hospitals could have been built with the money wasted on COVID 19 testing.

Dr Niaz said that the caretaker government was doing excellent work despite limited resources. He appreciated the role of Dr Jamal Nasir in solving the problems of the health sector. He congratulated Dr Lubna Zaheer for organizing the awareness program and medical camp. Dr Khalid Mahmood said that media students would play a role in solving health problems.

Dr Lubna Zaheer announced a film competition to highlight health issues. She said that media students would play their role in disease prevention as awareness could be created through media to solve health problems.

Related: PU CEMB holds conference on changing trends in Health Sciences

A delegation of Allama Iqbal Open University (AIOU) led by its Vice-Chancellor (VC), Dr Nasir Mehmood called on Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Sindh Rural Support Organization (SRSO), Muhammad Dital Khalhoro at his office on Friday and discussed rural development, women empowerment and skill trainings.

The CEO told about establishment, objectives, governance structure and the projects of SRSO. He said SRSO’s main approach was social mobilisation of the poor in order to get them directly involved in decisions which affect their lives and prospects.

Talking about SRSO’s Institute Of Management And Skill Development (IMSD), he said it takes on the results works towards poverty alleviation and pursues this objective by providing capacity development opportunities through formal training, on-job technical training, and experience sharing seminars workshops and conferences, both for the community members as well as the staff, while following full training cycle management protocols according to needs.

Vice-Chancellor, Dr Nasir Mehmood appreciated efforts of SRSO in poverty reduction and transformation of lives of rural communities, especially women. The CEO Mr Kalhoro also appreciated the contribution of the AIOU in promotion of education and reaching out to marginalised communities.

Later, the delegation also visited Sartyoon Sang Crafts outlet where they were decorated by traditional Ajraks.

Related: AIOU Center of Excellence for Early Childhood Development

Dr Mujeeb Sahrai, Vice-Chancellor Sindh Madressatul Islam University (SMIU) and Dr Jan Muhammad, Vice-Chancellor University of Turbat (UoT) signed an MoU on Friday at SMIU.

Both the vice-chancellors agreed to work together in the areas of training of faculty and students, research, organizing joint conferences, seminars, and workshops and working on the exchange program.  It was also decided that a consortium of SMIU and universities of the Makran region as Turbat University, its Panjgur Campus, Gwadar University and Makran university would be formed. Similarly, both the vice-chancellors decided that the Education Department of SMIU will arrange capacity-building training programs for female teachers of ten affiliated colleges of Turbat university.

Dr Mujeeb Sahrai suggested that a four-member joint committee comprising directors of ORIC and senior faculty members of both the universities might be formed to identify the areas of joint working in the fields of mutual interest. In this regard Dr Mujeeb Sahrai nominated Dr Aftab Ahmed Shaikh, Dean Faculty of Information Technology and Dr Aamir Iqbal Umrani, Director ORIC, of SMIU, for the committee. Dr Mujeeb said we should work together in the field that are need of the day and would be tangible.

Dr Jan Muhammad said Sindh Madressatul Islam University being an Alma-Mater of founder of Pakistan Quaid-e-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah is very important for them. That is why, they want to collaborate with this historic institute in areas of research and training.

He said Makran is a big region of Balochistan province, and interestingly there is no traditional tribal system in the said region, that is why a large number of female students are studying in Turbat University. He said there is a highest number of female students specially in the Department of Sociology and Education. “Out of 4000 students of the university about 1800 are female students,” Dr Jan Muhammad said. He said some female students are residing in hostels and some are coming from their remote villages in buses daily.

The MoU signing ceremony was attended by Deans of SMIU Dr Jamshed Adil Halepoto,  Dr Aftab Ahmed Shaikh, Dr Zahid Ali Channar, Advisor on Academics Dr Abdul Hafeez Khan, Director ORIC Dr Aamir Iqbal Umrani, Registrar Ghulam Mustafa Shaikh and Additional Director Planning & Development Ms Uzma Batool.

Related: Minister for Universities & Boards chairs 6th SMIU Senate Meeting

Admissions in the e-Rozgaar Training Program, an initiative of the Punjab Information Technology Board (PITB) and the Department of Youth Affairs and Sports, has started as PITB is receiving applications for its next phase.

The unemployed youth bearing Punjab domicile can submit applications for training in 7 different fields including Mobile App Development, Technical Content Marketing, Creative Designing and e-Commerce. In order to secure admission in the said program, the age limit is 35 years and the required educational qualification is a Master’s.

It is pertinent to mention here that as many as 45 e-Rozgaar Centers are operational across 41 districts of Punjab. More than 51,000 students, of which 56 percent are women, have earned more than Rs. 3.5 billion through the Internet after the completion of their training. This program is not just a training program but a revolution that will help generate employment and prepare Pakistan to run in the race for the future of work around the world. Candidates can register for admissions in PITB e-Rozgaar through the website for on-campus or online training.

E-Rozgar Program was launched by the Punjab government and was aimed at providing training and career opportunities, and necessary resources to earn respectable employment for young professionals. The vision is to reduce unemployment and drive economic growth in Pakistan by increasing the inflow of foreign currency.

Related: PUGC and PITB sign MoU for Plan9

The 86th Convocation of Kinnaird College for Women (KCW) Lahore was held on Thursday. Governor Punjab Muhammad Baligh Ur Rehman was the chief guest at the Convocation.

At the convocation, 673 students of BS and MPhil were awarded degrees in the fields of Language, Literature, Education, Social Sciences, Law, Applied Sciences, Business, Arts, Design and Media Communication, Physical, Earth Sciences Biological and life Sciences.

33 students were on the Honor List of the Principal. Eleven gold medals were awarded to outstanding students for achieving the highest grades in their subjects.

The chief guest, at the 86th Convocation of KCW, Honorable Muhammad Baligh Ur Rehman, Governor of Punjab addressed the students and praised their efforts.

The Rt Rev Dr Alexander John Malik Bishop Emeritus of Lahore Chairman Board of Governors Kinnaird College for Women and Prof Dr Rukhsana David, Principal Kinnaird College for Women also addressed the students and emphasized how Kinnaird has always aimed to educate women and empower them to take leadership roles as they step into their practical life.

She also acknowledged the outgoing graduates for their outstanding results. She said in keeping with the millennium goal of Gender Equality and Women Empowerment, Kinnaird continued its endeavors to raise standards, upgrade its programs to the international level and uphold its traditions.

Related: ASSITEJ showcased short plays for children at Kinnaird College