Federal Minister for Planning Prof. Ahsan Iqbal has stressed the need for revamping and modernising the teaching methodologies in the higher education so that the passing-out students could compete in the international markets.
He gave these remarks during a visit to the Government College University (GCU) Lahore, here on Saturday. He was received by Vice Chancellor Prof. Dr. Asghar Zaidi upon arrival.
The minister said he was visiting the university to reaffirm his commitment towards promotion of higher education in the country. Ahsan Iqbal said that he had always seen vice chancellors (VCs) and universities as the real force that could help the country emerge as a knowledge-based economy. He said it was sanguine that adequate opportunities of getting higher education were available for the youth in the country.
The minister said that libraries established at universities were used to be the brain of universities and said there was a need to equip them with modern-day requirements. Modern libraries in Qatar, the US and Europe needed to be replicated in the country by imparting e-knowledge to youngsters, he added. He said that the universities had a great role to curb hate and bigotry causing polarisation in society and they should play that role for a positive change.
Unfortunately, he pointed out, the biggest dilemma of education sector had been its becoming non-critical thinking, whereas it should be entirely interactive and encourage inquiry, observation, reflection, analysis and critique.
He stressed the need for annual audit of the universities through a seven-point framework including: academics quality, research & innovation, academia-industry link, community service, tech enabling, governance and management, and quality of graduates and placement.
Later, he visited the Centre for Advanced Physics and Labs of Physics Department to inspect the facilities being provided there.
The VC gave a detailed briefing on the affairs and steps being taken for promotion of education by the university.
