President Asif Ali Zardari on Wednesday emphasized upon the need of building “technology highways” in the country by enhancing students’ access to IT infrastructure, strengthening of educational programmes and equipping them with modern skills to help them fully benefit from the knowledge economy.
The president expressed these views while talking to Professor Dr Niaz Ahmad Akhtar, Vice Chancellor of Quaid-i-Azam University (QAU) Islamabad, who called on him, at Aiwan-e-Sadr, President Secretariat Press Wing said in a press release.
The vice chancellor briefed the president about the role of QAU in providing quality education, its educational programmes, and other administrative affairs.
Talking to the vice chancellor, the president said that Pakistan was blessed with abudant human resources, which needed to be converted into a strength by imparting the latest education and skills to them.
He said that providing laptops to students would increase their access to education, bridge the digital divide, and equip them with technology skills to help them compete in the national and international job markets.
He highlighted that Pakistan required to train and educate its human resources that could be exported to foreign countries facing a shortage of trained professionals, so as to help Pakistan earn foreign exchange.
The president said that universities were pivotal in producing skilled professionals, who could fulfil local and international market needs.
He also underlined the need to focus on producing more professionals such as doctors, engineers, nurses, and teachers.During the meeting, the vice chancellor informed that QAU was one of the top-ranking universities in Pakistan and was ranked at 315th position globally.
He apprised that the QAU was focusing on research that could have a positive impact on society, adding that digitalization was the top priority of the university.
The president urged to further improve the quality of education, besides focusing on the character-building of students, adding that top position holders of QAU should be given Presidential Awards with cash to encourage them in their studies.
The president appreciated the role of QAU in Pakistan’s academic sector and assured the vice chancellor of his support in resolving the financial issues of the university by taking it up at the appropriate forum.
