Sweden and Pakistan have enjoyed cordial bilateral relations, which need further strengthening in the areas of higher education, said Ingrid Johansson, Ambassador of Sweden in Pakistan, while visiting COMSATS University Islamabad (CUI). The visit was part of efforts to promote exchange of faculty and students between Swedish universities and leading universities of Pakistan, by the Swedish Embassy and the Swedish Foundation for International Cooperation in Research and Higher Education (STINT) in collaboration with CUI.
While sharing data, Dr. Hans Pohl, Program Director STINT, informed colleagues at CUI that based on Scopus Database, Pakistan’s publication volume is approximately one third of Sweden’s but is growing more at a fast pace. Co-publications originating in Pakistan and Sweden receive high impact of 7.47 on average. He informed that Pakistan along with Iran and Saudi Arabia were rapidly growing in their research and innovation landscape and that all three countries had maintained their positions through 2015, 2016 and 2017. Dr. Pohl offered CUI to benefit from the STINT’s program portfolio, which included startup initiation grants, grants for dual degree programs, teaching sabbaticals, funding streams for mobility for enhancing research cooperation, as well as support for university’s internationalization efforts and scholarships.
Prof. Dr. Raheel Qamar, Rector CUI informed the ambassador, that CUI has benefitted immensely from the Scholarships and faculty development opportunities offered by Swedish universities. He informed the ambassador that CUI was ranked number 1 in Pakistan as per the TIMES Higher Education (THE) world universities rankings 2019 and Shanghai Academic World Ranking of Universities 2019. He said that CUI is improving educational services by deploying technology even in remote campuses through Hybrid Teaching. Prof. Dr. Raheel Qamar said the university is planning to open new campuses in the South of Pakistan in line with its federal mandate and with cooperation of the Higher Education Commission.
The Ambassador of Sweden said that she was pleased to see a thriving startup culture at CUI that is similar to Sweden where the economy is increasingly relying on small and medium enterprise as well as the ingenuity of young graduates with their innovative ideas. She also said that Pakistanis who have gained 5-10 years of job experience in the Swedish industry need to be allocated appropriate opportunities in the Pakistani job market. She also indicated the need for sharing Sweden’s experience on the triple helix approach and increasing cooperation between the government, industry and academia.
The Swedish guests were also shown various departments of the Islamabad Campus as well as the CUI Central Library.
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Ms. Saiqa Andleeb, Faculty Registrar, University of Wolverhampton, UK visited COMSATS University Islamabad (CUI) on March 26, 2019. The purpose of the visit was to explore Transnational Opportunities (TNE) between University of Wolverhampton and CUI. Her visit was in follow up of visit of her Vice Chancellor Professor Geoff Layer to Pakistan in August 2018.
She was warmly welcomed by Mr. Ali Tawab Baloch, Head International Office and his team. She was shown facilities of the campus and infrastructure available to the students of CUI Islamabad campus.
The Registrar, Dr. Fahim A Qureshi took the occasion to highlight the achievements of CUI through a brief presentation. Subsequently, Prof. Dr. Shahid A Khan, Dean Faculty of Engineering expressed the desire that CUI is extremely keen to foster closer ties with the University of Wolverhampton specially in offering post doctoral fellowships and joint research projects between the two universities.
The Dean Engineering presented Souvenir to Ms. Andleeb.
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A four- member delegation from Tsinghua University (TU), China visited COMSATS University Islamabad on Wednesday, March 20, 2019. The delegation led by Prof. Wei ZHANG, MEM (Master of Engineering Management) Center director comprised of Dr. Dacheng LIU, Associate Professor, TU; Mrs. Haitao WANG, Program Associate MEM (International Master of Engineering Management) and Prof. Xuedong LIANG, Professor at Sichuan University. The delegation was given a warm welcome by the International Office team upon their arrival at Islamabad Campus. The purpose of the visit was to strengthen linkages, collaboration and engagements between the Tsinghua University and COMSATS University Islamabad.
The delegation was shown different facilities of the campus including Labs, Junaid Zaidi Library, Student Services Center, Day Care Center, China Study Center etc. The delegates were impressed by the state-of-the-art amenities available for the students of CUI.
Later, Prof. Zhang delivered a very insightful presentation highlighting China as a country, its location, its language divisions, administrative divisions, its economy, its culture, art, people and of course its academic and scientific landscape. He also delivered a lecture titled “Rethinking of Postgraduate Engineering Education-IMEM Program“ to undergraduate and graduate students of the departments of Electrical engineering, Management Science and Computer Science. To complement the lecture, a video highlighting the features of IMEM “International Master of Engineering Management” Program was also shared.
After lunch, the delegates had detailed meeting with CUI higher management which was chaired by Prof. Dr. Khalid Riaz, Dean, Management Sciences. Prof. Dr. Junaid Mughal, Incharge Academics, Dr. Aneel Salman, HoD, Management Sciences, Dr. Nadeem Javaid, Mr. Ali Tawab Baloch, Head International Office and his team were present in the meeting. Both sides shared highlighted facts and achievements of CUI and TU through comprehensive presentations.
During discussions in the meeting, ideas to initiate split programs, student exchange for fast or condensed courses, organizing a short summer course for TU students, collaboration on curriculum development, collaboration on case studies and internships were deliberated. Officials from both sides agreed to strengthen the mutual areas of both universities and share expert knowledge and good practices. Prof. Dr. Khalid Riaz formally welcomed the delegation to CUI and shared that CUI is keen to establish academic collaboration with TU and CUI will work on the prospect of inviting TU students in its various conferences such as FIT etc…
The Incharge, Academics shared that both universities have similar courses as far as the IMEM program is concerned. Files including detailed courses description were distributed to the delegates. Dr. Nadeem Javaid shared the webpage for enabling students to apply for IMEM Program. Dr. Aneel Salman said that this webpage is an excellent outlet for scrutinizing the received applications and preparing a merit list and thus facilitating TU’s work. Mrs. Haitao WANG gave her details presentation on “Scholars & students Exchange program for the Belt & Road and how CUI faculty/students could benefit from it
The Head IO shared that a concrete collaboration should be shaped between both universities in the form of student/faculty exchange and summer school programs.
Prof. Zhang shared that faculty exchange should be promoted and CUI may send interested Professors to Tsinghua University for few weeks to teach research to TU students. He further said that he looks forward to receiving applications from CUI’s students for the IMEM program in Cohort 2020.
Subsequently, a detailed meeting between the delegates and the Rector, Prof. Dr. Raheel Qamar was also held. The Dean, Department of Management Sciences, Incharge, Academics and Head, International Office, CUI were also present in the meeting. The Rector gave detailed introduction of CUI. He expressed his desire to have close liaison with Tsinghua University which was well received by the delegation.
The visit came to an end with exchange of souvenirs and a group photo. The delegation left the campus with much admiration for the courtesy and hospitality extended to them by CUI officials during their visit.
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The Ambassador of Egypt to Pakistan, His Excellency Mr. Ahmed Fadel Yacoub visited COMSATS University Islamabad on March 12, 2019. The purpose of the visit was to further bolster CUI’s linkages with Egypt and strengthen the engagement with the Egyptian Embassy in Islamabad.
H. E. Ambassador was warmly welcomed by the Head, International Office along-with his team. H.E. Ambassador was shown infrastructure and facilities of CUI Islamabad campus. He visited Junaid Zaidi Library, Student Service Center and was in awe of the greenery of the campus and its state-of-the-art infrastructure and facilities.
A detailed meeting between His Excellency Ahmed Fadel Yacoub and the Rector, Dr. Raheel Qamar was held. The Registrar CUI and Head International Office, CUI were present in the meeting. The Rector gave detailed introduction of CUI. H.E. Ambassador desired to have close liaison with the universities of Egypt. It was resolved to invite 8 -10 Vice-Chancellors/ Rectors/ Presidents of the Egyptian universities to CUI. The visit of the delegation will be first step to establish liaison between the two countries. H.E. Ahmed Fadel Yacoub appreciated the hospitality and positive outcome of his visit and left on a happy note.
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A two-member delegation comprising of Dr. Saudullah Ali, Registrar and Mr. Hussain Shinan, System Administrator, Maldives National University, Maldives visited COMSATS University Islamabad (CUI) on February 25, 2019 for having technical sessions with CU Online team of CUI.
Mr. Ali Tawab Baloch, Head International Office with his team welcomed the delegates. The delegation was shown different facilities of the campus.
The delegation called on Rector of CUI for a brief introductory meeting. The delegation had detailed meeting with the officials of International Office and CU Online team. The Head International Office gave presentation about CUI. The delegates appreciated the remarkable progress CUI has made in a short span of 19 years.
Mr. Yawar Zaidi, Senior Manager/ In charge CU Online and his team members had a detailed technical discussion session with the delegates. He explained in detail about working of CU Online System. The delegates understood the model, had a comparative look at the system and enquired about various aspects of it. Mr. Zaidi also briefed online admission process system managed through CU Online across all its seven campuses.
At the end of their visit, the delegates expressed profound gratitude over warm reception and hospitality extended to them by CUI. They were hopeful that the Maldivian side would try to make the best use of the offer of support from CUI.
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