Convocation: ‘Engineering universities must over-haul curricula’

As many as 1,826 students in various bachelor’s programmes were awarded degrees by the Governor Makhdoom Syed Ahmad Mehmood at the convocation.  Another 37 students were awarded doctorate degrees while 269 students were conferred degrees in master’s programmes.

Vice Chancellor Lt Gen (retd) Muhammad Akram Khan said that the university enjoyed international reputation and was ranked 385th among the top engineering and technology universities of the world.

He said that the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) had sanctioned a package of Rs5.929 billion in November, 2007, for the university, out of this amount Rs2.2 billion has been used. He hoped that with the completion of the project the enrolment would be increased to 15,000.

The governor said that high priority was given to education the world over especially in the developed world. He said Pakistan lagged in this regard. He said education, particularly in science and technology, was the need of the hour. He said that developed nations were enhancing their capabilities through education and research.

Mehmood said that university-industry linkages had increased possibilities in facilitating the process of transforming knowledge and innovative ideas into commercial undertakings. “Universities in Pakistan, particularly the engineering universities should over-haul their systems and curricula in keeping with international practices and standards.”

He said that quality human capital was the product of quality education systems which equip individuals with advanced skills. “I am happy that the UET is producing graduates acceptable in the domestic as well as international market.”

He appreciated the progress made by the UET over the years through its establishment of various campuses in Kala Shah Kaku, Faisalabad, Gujranwala and Narowal.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 12^th, 2013.