May 2007 20 More Quality Assurance Cells in Universities Open-access Online Portal for Pakistani Journals ANOTHER HONOUR Dr. Atta-ur-Rahman Made Life Fellow at Cambridge University Table of Contents ARTICLE Virtual University of Pakistan....... by Dr. Naveed A. Malik DEPARTMENT PROFILE Department of Business Administration, University of Sargodha 2 5 7 HEC News & Views is published every month. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form without prior written permission of the publisher. The views expressed by authors in the articles is their sole responsibility and not of HEC. HEC would like to thank all the institutions and individuals who contributed information and photographs for this magazine. Assistant Editor Aayesha Ikram Graphic Designer Raja Ahmad Nadeem Dr. Atta-ur-Rahman Made Life Fellow at Cambridge University 20 More Quality Assurance Cells in Universities Open-access Online Portal for Pakistani Journals Seven Projects Approved for Young Innovators Award HEC Inks MoU with Leading Korean University Workshop for Universities' Senior Management Uniform Framework for Engineering Education HEC Scholar Gets PhD Degree in Physics HEC Gymnasts Excel in National Games Returning PhD Scholars Being Placed in Varsities HEC to Strengthen Nursing Workforce 14 Social Sciences Conference at IIUI IIUI Holds 19th Cultural Festival Hazara University Holds 1st Convocation Greenwich University Convocation GCU Lahore, HKBU Sign MoU One-day Workshop at GCU, Lahore Poverty Alleviation through Agribusiness Intel Malaysia Selects Four GIKI Students GIKI Holds Industrial Open House, Career Fair Seminar on Genetic & Biomedical Engineering NIIT Organizes Int'l Workshop on Networking Royal College Office at UHS for MRCP Exams RESEARCH RESEARCH Understanding Allergies and Asthma Reporter Waseem Khaliqdad Proof Reader Riaz-ul-Haque Publisher: D.G. Admn. NEWS INTERNATIONAL 24 26 UAE Team Wins Microsoft Imagine Cup Australia Creates $5 Billion Fund for Research Diabetes Drug May Help Fight Breast Cancer National Research Grant for Universities Travel Grants for Teachers CDWP Approved Projects 28 Virtual University of Pakistan The Virtual University (VU), Pakistan’s first University completely based on modern Information and Communication Technologies, was established by the Government in 2002 as a public sector, not-for-profit institution with a clear mission to provide extremely affordable world-class education to aspiring students all over the country. Dr. Naveed A. Malik is currently Rector of the Virtual University of Pakistan. He obtained his Master's degree in Physics from the University of the Punjab, Lahore and PhD from MIT in the field of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science specializing in Digital Signal Processing. Dr. Malik established the Spark Source Mass Spectroscopy Laboratory at the Centre for Solid State Physics at University of the Punjab and later, became the founder chairman of the Department of Computer Science. He has been associated with the Virtual University project since its inception. He has Sketch by lectured extensively, has been an Raja Ahmad Nadeem active systems and software developer and has published several papers on various technical subjects. He is a life member of the Pakistan Institute of Physics. Pakistan is a populous country of nearly 160 million people, with almost half of this number below the age of 30. A study conducted in the late 1990s indicated that out of the college age cohort (18-25 years) only about 3.5 per cent were actually enroled in tertiary education institutions; the absolute majority, i.e. over 96 per cent of this age group were not enrolled and therefore not receiving higher education. On the other hand, the established universities were full to the brim. Compounding the problem, the existing universities had an acute shortage of properly qualified faculty leading to severe quality issues in the tiny segment of the population that actually obtained access to higher education. Whereas the problem of capacity shortage could have been overcome by providing adequate financial resources, the issue of faculty shortage was not amenable to organic solutions: radical measures were called for. A feasibility study organized and funded by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) was conducted in late 2000 to assess the possibility of utilizing technology to tackle the problem with particular reference to developing human resources in information technology, worldwide demand for which was at its peak at that time. Simultaneously, a public discussion and debate over the internet was organized by the Minister for Science and Technology to develop a coherent policy for information technology in Pakistan. Both the feasibility study as well as the public discussion, among other issues, indicated that a new university should be established that would use information and communication technologies as force multipliers to overcome the capacity and faculty shortage problems outlined above. The establishment of a “virtual” university thereby became part of the action plan drawn up by the Government as part of its policy on information technology. A project plan was drawn up and approved by the Government of Pakistan in 2001 and initial funding for the University was released in November of the same year. The new Virtual University of Pakistan opened its “virtual” doors to the public in a very short time and the first batch of students was inducted in March 2002 into a four-year BS programme in Computer Science/Information Technology. A formal Charter was granted to the new university in September 2002, which empowered the University to establish several different faculties or schools. The University was granted a “federal” charter that allowed it to offer its programmes throughout the country instead 2 Article of being limited to any single province. The Virtual University has been designed to provide world-class education at extremely affordable rates to aspiring students across the length and breadth of Pakistan. Its main focus is to provide easy access to high-quality tertiary education, thereby supplementing the capacity of existing universities. How Virtual University Works The Virtual University of Pakistan delivers education through a judicious combination of broadcast television and the Internet. By identifying and utilizing the best professors and domain experts of the country, regardless of their institutional affiliations, the Virtual University develops and delivers meticulously designed courses to its students. The same high quality courses are also available to students of all other universities in the country through free to air broadcasts. VU courses are hand-crafted in painstaking detail by acknowledged experts in the field. Lectures are then recorded by these experts in a professional studio environment and after editing, insertion of slides, movie clips and other material, the lectures become ready for broadcast. The same experts also prepare detailed lecture notes and handouts for the students and these handouts become an extremely valuable resource for students. Since the University operates in a formal semester system mode, the time-table for lectures is published at the start of each semester on the VU web-site (http://www.vu.edu.pk). The lectures are broadcast according to this time-table over VU’s own free-to-air television channels. They are also made available in the form of multimedia CDs. The multiple formats allow a high degree of flexibility for students who may view the lectures at a time of their choosing within a 24-hour period. Additionally, students can use the lecture CDs to review an entire course before their examinations – a facility simply not available in a conventional face-to-face environment. The Virtual University provides student-teacher interaction through a comprehensive Learning Management System (LMS) (http://vulms.vu.edu.pk) hosted on VU Web Servers and accessible around the clock over the Internet. All students are provided a password protected account on the LMS and this account is maintained throughout their stay at the University. The LMS provides reading material and lecture notes in the form of webenabled content for all courses. In addition, open and moderated discussion boards are available on the LMS for detailed discussions. The University also provides an e-mail facility to each and every student through its own mail server for direct access to teachers and University departments. An important feature of the LMS is a Moderated Discussion Board (MDB) whereby VU students can interact with faculty members. The MDB provides a very efficient mechanism for students to pose their questions on subject matter covered in the lectures and is available 24 hours. The MDB is extremely fine grained, providing separate sessions for each lecture of each course. VU faculty monitors this board on a continuous basis and answers to questions are provided within a short space of time. The major advantage of the MDB is that all questions asked by students are visible to their course community, as are the answers provided by the faculty members and this closely mimics the face-to-face question/answer experience. In addition, read-only access is made available to previous question/answer sessions and this constitutes an extremely useful study resource for students. Of course, this review facility does not exist in a conventional environment. Assignments for all courses are distributed through LMS and also submitted by the students through the same mechanism with a detailed proof-of-delivery mechanism built in by design. Since the University publishes solutions for all its assignments, it is able to enforce a strict due-date regime. Late assignments are not accepted. Obviously, assignments are never re-used and past assignments and solutions form another important study resource for students. Pop-quizzes and practice tests are also conducted through the LMS. Mid-term and Final examinations for every semester are conducted in a formal proctored environment at exam centres designated for the purpose throughout the country. Invigilators appointed by the University conduct the exams. The formal examination atmosphere assists in critical quality assurance of the student assessment system. 3 Article The University is based entirely on the imaginative and effective use of ICTs and, therefore, its technical divisions are designed and equipped with a fault tolerant and redundant infrastructure. The servers deployed by the University for its web-site, its email system, (http://mail.vu.edu.pk) and its learning management system are all high-end state-of-the-art machines with redundant power supplies and RAID hard disks. The servers are located on a 155Mbps fibre trunk that traverses only a few yards to get to one of Pakistan’s main routers located on the national backbone. As such, the servers offer a high-availability environment. The Virtual University’s television production and broadcast facilities are also state-of-the-art being completely digital end-to-end. The University operates its own four free-to-air satellite channels and more are being added as per the requirements of the various educational programmes. The channels utilize Pakistan’s first communications satellite PAKSAT-I. Although technical problems do arise, the strategic placement of the servers on the national backbone and the use of national satellite ensure that any breakdown in international links does not affect the working of the Virtual University. This combination of technologies and efficient utilization of national infrastructure allows the Virtual University to offer an identical educational environment to students all over the country including far-flung areas. For the first time, students from small towns and remote areas have access to the same highly-qualified professors that were previously accessible to their large city brethren only. The initial results indicate that talent hidden in these regions is now becoming visible and empowered. This has far-reaching positive implications for the socio-economic well being of the country. Students may study from home or at “virtual campuses” that have been established all over the country. These virtual campuses provide an enabling electronic environment for students to receive lectures and interact with their teachers including television equipped classrooms and Internet connected computer laboratories. A subliminal benefit of these campuses is that they also provide the students with an opportunity to interact with their peers in a conventional environment and form study groups. A very healthy inter-campus competition has already developed in the young Virtual University community and this becomes a strong motivating factor for students in their junior years while also providing an opportunity for seniors to become mentors to their junior counterpart. Conclusion The Virtual University of Pakistan is one of the youngest universities in the country, the proverbial “baby” of the higher education family. In a very short span of time, it has been able to establish its credentials as an institution providing quality higher education. It has established over 100 “virtual campuses” in more than 60 cities of the country and more are being established on a continuous basis. Enrolment is increasing every semester and the current student strength stands at over 14,000 – more than many much older institutions. The public presentation of the Virtual University’s programmes and the caliber of the people associated with them have gone a long way in establishing a quality image for the University in a very short time. In fact, the first batch of Virtual University graduates has been accepted by top tier institutions within the country as well as abroad in their respective graduate schools. Virtual University graduates have also been hired at top market salaries by extremely competitive and demanding technology companies and this acceptance by the industry has further validated the quality of the university’s programmes and its teaching methods. The University has so far kept itself away from offering any programmes that require the use of a physical laboratory (other than Computer Science), but the time is fast approaching when such programmes will be required by the market. Collaborative programmes are being designed in collaboration with other institutions that will provide the necessary physical plant and facilities for these programmes. The Virtual University is thus poised to play an increasingly important role in the national higher education scenario. By Dr. Naveed A. Malik E-mail: rector@vu.edu.pk 4 Department of Business Administration, University of Sargodha 5 Department Profile Lt. Gen. (R) Khalid Maqbool, Governor Punjab talks to students during a visit to the Department. Prof. Dr. Muhammad Akram Ch., VC, University of Sargodha and Dr. Maqbool H. Sial, Dean, Faculty of Management and Administrative Sciences are also present FACULTY Male 10 Female 02 Total 12 AREAS OF SPECIALIZATION Marketing MIS Accounting & finance 05 01 06 STATISTICS OF DEPARTMENT MBA BBA Session Enrolment Session Enrolment 2006-2010 112 2006-2008 119 2005-2009 112 2004-2008 109 2005-2007 115 2003-2007 102 6 Dr. Atta-ur-Rahman Made Life Fellow at Cambridge University Prof. Dr. Atta-ur-Rahman, Chairman, Higher Education Commission has been made Honourary Life Fellow at King's College Cambridge. The latest honour was conferred on the distinguished scientist on May 1, 2007 at the King's College Chapel. Dr. Atta-ur-Rahman is the first Pakistani scientist to be made Fellow at the King's College, Cambridge for his achievements in the field of academic research. University of Cambridge is the second-oldest university in the English-speaking world and has a reputation as one of the world's most prestigious universities. Last year Dr. Atta-urRahman was elected Fellow of the prestigious Royal Society. Dr. Rahman obtained his PhD degree from Cambridge University in 1968 and was later honoured by the degree of Doctor of Science by the same University. He has over 778 publications in leading international journals in several fields of organic chemistry including over 600 research publications, 15 patents, 93 books and has written 59 chapters in books published by major American and European presses. Sketch by Raja Ahmad Nadeem He is the first scientist from the Muslim world to have won the UNESCO Science Prize in the 35-year history of the award. The Government of Pakistan has conferred four civil awards, including Tamgha-i-Imtiaz, Sitara-i-Imtiaz, Hilal-iImtiaz and the highest national civil award Nishan-i-Imtiaz in recognition of his eminent contributions. 20 More Quality Assurance Cells in Universities The Higher Education Commission (HEC) has established 20 more Quality Enhancement Cells (QEC) in public sector universities of the country. This is in addition to already existing 10 QECs in the first phase of Quality Assurance Agency project. The purpose of establishing these cells is to enhance the quality of education in institutions of higher learning and to take up the cases of plagiarism reported in universities very vigorously and develop policies to curb this menace. HEC is also member of the highly prestigious international quality assurance and accreditation networks such as International Network of Quality Assurance in Higher Education (INQAAHE) and Asia Pacific Quality Network (APQN). The HEC has benefited from the INQAAHE guidelines in an effective and practical way of practicing and sharing knowledge with the stakeholders. The INQAAHE guidelines have been discussed with all the stakeholders in detail and a strategy to consider these guidelines as a way forward for 7 quality assurance across disciplines. HEC's Quality Assurance Division has been encouraging and facilitating the process of quality assurance for the implementation of various quality enhancement programmes by providing guidelines for the implementation of quality criteria and capacity building through training workshops, meetings and conferences on quality issues, on regular basis. Pakistan Business Education Accreditation Council. Besides, MoUs are being signed with already existing professional councils such as Pakistan Medical and Dental Council, Pakistan Engineering Council, Pakistan Veterinary and Medical Council, Pharmacy Council, Pakistan Architects and Town Planners to have mutually agreed parameters for ensuring adherence to the approved standards of quality. The QECs are responsible to bring about significant enhancement of quality in higher learning and to attain the goals of international compatibility and competitiveness. A significant achievement of HEC is the development of criteria for quality assurance in higher education. These criteria include eligibility conditions for appointment of faculty members in universities and DAIs, Tenure Track System, statutes regarding promotion to meritorious professors and emeritus professors, MPhil and PhD education criteria, criteria for affiliation of colleges with universities, assessment (ranking) of universities/degree awarding institutes and guidelines for self assessment by the universities. For monitoring quality of education in different disciplines, HEC has also established National Computing Education Accreditation Council, National Agricultural Education Accreditation Council, Accreditation Council for Teachers Education and Open-access Online Portal for Pakistani Journals Under Digital Library Programme of Higher Education Commission (HEC), an open-access online portal will be established through which all journals published in Pakistan will be made available for worldwide electronic access. "Research Ranking of Universities on the basis of Cumulative Impact Factors based on ISI Web of Knowledge" was also conducted and advertised in national newspapers in April this year. In 2006 the Higher Education Commission of Pakistan commissioned a case study of its Digital Library by International Network for the Availability of Scientific Publications (INASP) that covered the content, training, marketing, finance, monitoring and evaluation and impact of the Digital Library. The findings disclosed that the programme is considered economical, with an average cost of a downloaded article during 2005 being US$2.30. The portal will allow international exposure of research conducted within Pakistan, and will assist in the international peer-review process of indigenous publications. Once implemented, 'PJOL: Pakistan Journals Online” will have a fully searchable web interface similar to that of any other international electronic journal database. HEC's Digital Library has achieved momentous achievements in 2006 through its various crosscutting programmes and initiatives. It provided access to high-quality scholarly information based on electronic delivery to the higher education institutions in Pakistan. Besides, a priority initiative of the Digital Library Programme has been to introduce the Electronic Library Information Navigator (ELIN@) system. The HEC and the International Network for the Availability of Scientific Publications (INASP) have linked up with Lund Libraries, Sweden, to adapt and extend their existing ELIN@) system so that it can be used by universities in Pakistan. In 2006, total downloaded articles from HEC National Digital Library Programme were more than 2.2 Million. Digital Library usage has gone up by over 100 per cent from 2005 to 2006. HEC's Digital Library also conducted two research studies in 2006. In first study the Pakistani Universities were ranked on the basis of their research output in those journals which are internationally recognized and indexed by ISI Web of Knowledge. Whereas, the second study titled Overall, the Digital Library holds a great promise as the Programme is being appreciated by the users nationwide. However, the sustainability of the programme will be dependent on researchers and professionals who have to play an active role in managing library and optimizing use of its resources. 8 Seven Projects Get Presidential Young Innovators Award The Higher Education Commission has awarded the Presidential Young Innovator (PYI) Awards to seven research projects proposed by faculty members and researchers based on their educational development plans. evaluation. Later, the proposals were forwarded to peers in respective fields after which 16 proposals were short listed. The meeting of the Selection Committee, after detailed deliberation, finally selected seven proposals for the Award. It was decided that the remaining nine proposals will be funded through National Research Grants Programme for Universities (NRPU). The PYI Programme has been designed by HEC to encourage and support the early career development activities of young faculty members and scholars in public sector universities and R&D organizations who show exceptional potential for research and are likely to become academic leaders in the future. These seven research proposals include 'Finding Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms (SNPS) in Cotton Genome', 'Novel Bioactive Compounds (Peptides/Proteins) from Potensive Medicinal Plants under Stress Conditions', 'Production of Biodegradable Plastic From Agricultural Waste: A Lab Scale Optimization', 'Laser Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy', 'Elimination of Carcinogenic Cr (Vi) by Microorganisms in Association with Hydrophytes', 'Construction of Multiplex Biosensor for the Monitoring of Heavy Metal Contaminants in Polluted Environments or Industrial Effluent' and 'Biochemical/Molecular Evaluation of Grain End Use Quality Using Glutenin Subunits in Bread Wheat'. Proposals from scholars are considered who have a doctoral degree and are regular employees of public sector universities or R&D organizations. They should have a PYI development plan relating to their career goals and job responsibilities. The award for each project is up to maximum of Rs. six million at the disposal of the principal investigator over a period of three years. Out of 43 applications received in response to the Scheme advertised in May 2006, 33 eligible projects were sent to the focal points for review and HEC Inks MoU with Leading Korean University The delegation also met Prof. Dr. Atta-ur-Rahman, Chairman HEC. The two sides agreed to explore the possibility of establishing R&D centres of leading Korean Brands like LG, Samsung and Hyundai etc, in Pakistan. The possibility of Hanyang joining the consortium of South Korean Universities for establishing a UESTP was also discussed. The University was also offered to collaborate with any leading South Korean group for establishing an Engineering University in Pakistan. In the series of linkages with institutions in technologically advanced countries, Higher Education Commission (HEC) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Hanyang University, a leading South Korean institution that is among the top 500 universities of the world. The Agreement was signed during the visit of a twomember delegation led by Dr. Ki-Jeong Lee, Dean, Office of International Cooperation, Hanyang University. Prof. Dr. Mukhtar Ahmed, Member Planning and Development signed the MoU on behalf of HEC. For encouraging linkages between Pakistani Universities and Hanyang University, HEC organized two meeting sessions in Islamabad and Karachi. Many universities identified different avenues of cooperation with Hanyang University. These include training of Pakistani scholars and faculty members in Hanyang University at postgraduate and postdoctoral levels, exchange of faculty members for short and long term visits, joint supervision of PhD programmes, joint research, holding of joint workshops, symposia and other such events. It aims at a coordinated placement of HEC scholars and provide them with industry training opportunities. According to the MoU, HEC scholars will be offered placement in MS (Engineering) programmes offered at Hanyang University for the next five years. In addition, there will be research exchange programmes, establishment of R&D centres in Pakistan by leading industries of South Korea. 9 Workshop for Universities' Senior Management Participants of the Workshop with Prof. Dr. Sohail Naqvi, Prof. Dr. Riaz Qureshi, Dr. Mary Linda Armacost, Dr. Peter Armacost and Ms Noor Amna Malik A two-day workshop on “Leading Transformational Change for Senior Management of Universities” was organized by the Learning Innovation Division, Higher Education Commission at Islamabad recently. Senior management staff of the public sector universities of the twin cities including Registrars, Deans, Controllers, Treasurers, Chairpersons and Hostel Wardens attended the Workshop. until and unless the academic and administrative staff of the universities coordinates smoothly with each other, no tangible change is possible in the higher education scenario of Pakistan. The Higher Education Commission is trying to bring improvement in both of these important areas. Dr. Naqvi admitted that the university management was long neglected by HEC adding that this workshop was just a start. “Many more programmes for the development and training of universities' management are in the pipeline”, he said. Dr. Mary Linda Armacost, Director, Queen Mary College, Lahore was resource person for the Workshop. Dr. Armacost has more than 40 years working experience at senior managerial positions in different universities abroad. He stressed that alongside the academic staff, the management had a very important role to play in brining about a substantial change in the institutions of higher learning. The main objective of the Workshop was to help the participants become aware of the HEC mandated changes, to gain an understanding of the external environment influencing the functioning of university administration and to review the major mandates of the HEC. The event also gave the HEC an opportunity to hear the issues of universities that surround these mandates. “If we have to compete at the international level, we need to bring change at each and every level and that is not possible without your active support”, he told the participants. Speaking on the occasion, Prof. Dr. Riaz Hussain Qureshi, Adviser Quality Assurance, HEC said that a lot of misunderstandings exist between the academic Prof. Dr. Sohail Naqvi, Executive Director HEC, who was chief guest at the concluding ceremony, said that 10 and administrative staff. “They will have to work in harmony with each other to make the institutions real seats of higher learning”, he said. She said that the Learning Innovation Department of the HEC has devised special programmes for the uplift of academic and administrative staff of the universities. He said that the HEC is working at a fast pace and it also wanted universities to follow the same pace if we had to compete at the global level. “But this is not possible without good team work”, he added. She said that similar kind of workshops will be held in Lahore, Karachi, Quetta and Peshawar. “This process will not stop here. This is just a start and we have a long way to go”. Ms Noor Amna Malik, Director General, Learning Innovation, HEC said that the Commission was not working in isolation. “Without active support from the universities, the HEC will not be able to accomplish its challenging tasks”. She appreciated the active input of the participants during various sessions of the Workshop. She thanked Dr. Mary Linda Armacost for helping in designing and execution of the Workshop. Uniform Framework for Engineering Education A meeting of prominent experts from various engineering educational institutions of the country was held under the chairmanship of Prof. Dr. Sohail H. Naqvi, Executive Director, Higher Education Commission at HEC Secretariat recently. 130-136 credit hours for the four-year BSc/BE degrees and the engineering courses will be 6570 per cent of the curricula. Emphasis will be given to leadership and communication skills, technical report writing and professional ethics. Social sciences will also be an essential component of the whole programme and the curricula will be prepared to develop self-learning and analytic thinking to promote research culture in the universities. The purpose was to develop a uniform and standardized framework for the development of curricula to bring the engineering programmes at par with international standards. Ways to improve the state of technology and meet the needs of industry were also discussed. The meeting ended with a vote of thanks to all participants and special thanks to Dr. A. U. Sheikh, Rector, Foundation University for his valuable contribution for the development of the framework. The experts discussed the framework and agreed that the engineering programmes being offered at the universities in Pakistan would consist of a total of HEC Scholar Gets PhD Degree in Physics Dr. Nasir Amin is the first HEC scholar who has completed his PhD under 'Indigenous 5000 PhD Fellowship Scheme' from Department of Physics, Quaid-e-Azam University under the supervision of Prof. Dr. M. Aslam Baig, Distinguished National Professor. The title of his dissertation is 'Photoionization Cross sections of the Excited States of Li, Na and K'. The External Reviewers, from technologically advanced countries, for his research included Prof. Dr. Massimo Inguscio, University of Florence, Italy; Prof. Dr. Peter Zimmermann, Technische Universitat Berlin, Germany; Prof. Dr. C. A. Mayhew, University of Birmingham, England. Dr. Nasir Amin 11 HEC Gymnasts Excel in National Games The Gymnastics team of Higher Education Commission (HEC) and Pakistan Universities Sports Board (PUSB) won six gold medals in the National Games held in Karachi from April 9-14, 2007. Ms Maryam Wazir Keerio was best gymnast of the National Games who clinched three gold medals. Ms Tabasum Ilimuddin Keerio, Ms Raqoo Ilimuddin Keerio and Ms Isran Wazir Keerio won one gold medal each. Pakistan universities 12 men and five men women teams, which were selected after a strict filtering process, participated in the Games. Overall the HEC/PUSB squad bagged eight gold, three silver and eight bronze medals in different games in the mega event. It is pertinent to mention here that the Sports Division of the HEC played a Group photo of HEC/PUSB gymnasts who won six gold medals in National Games 2007. (L to R) Ms Tabasum, Ms Maryam, Prof. Dr. Yasmeen (Manager), Mr. Mustaqeem (Coach), Ms Isran and Ms Raqoo Keerio significant role to plan, coordinate and organize competitions and other sports related activities for the students and sports leaders of the Pakistan universities under the policy guidelines of PUSB. Honour for HEC Scholar in China Mr. Rafiq Muhammad Choudhry, an HEC Scholar pursuing his PhD studies under 'PhD Scholarships for Engineering Sciences, China' has won ' New Star Award' in the Civil Engineering School at Tsinghua University, Beijing, China for the academic year 2006-2007. Mr. Rafiq is the first foreign student to get this prestigious award of the University. The School of Civil Engineering comprises Departments of Construction Engineering and Management, Structural Engineering, Earthquake Engineering, Transportation Engineering, Hydraulics Engineering and Geo-Technical Engineering etc. The award was given jointly to two top researchers, one Chinese and one Foreigner, for which 317 students and 80 Professor voted to choose the new star of the School. The award makes eligible the winners to get the top most scholarship for the following year in the 1st category for the two winners. “I think the whole purpose of this exercise is to recognize, give honour for the academic achievements and to motivate students for excellence in their performance”, said Mr. Rafiq. 12 Mr. Rafiq Muhammad Choudhry Returning PhD Scholars Being Placed in Varsities The Higher Education Commission has processed the cases of 60 fresh PhD scholars who are returning from abroad after completing their studies for placement in universities as well as degree awarding institutions countrywide. The step is a significant breakthrough in reversing the brain drain and is providing an attractive academic environment to the highly qualified and talented young people to work in. This Programme aims at providing occupation to the scholars on their return to save them from the agony of unemployment. At present, 18 scholars have joined the universities while 24 have been accepted by host institutions and placement of 18 scholars is under process. The Programme is open to all fields. The universities benefiting from the first batch of PhDs include University of Arid Agriculture, Rawalpindi, PIEAS, Islamabad, COMSATS, Abbotabad, Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad, International Islamic University, Islamabad, NWFP Agricultural University, Peshawar, Government College University, Lahore, University of Karachi, Karachi, University of Education, Lahore, Rawalpindi Medical College, Rawalpindi, and University of Peshawar, Peshawar. It is expected that most of these young scientists, engineers, and medical professionals will make career in the academia once they are comfortably placed in the national universities. So far all the placements made are of non-HEC scholars as the Placement of Fresh PhD Scholars Returning from Abroad Programme is open for HEC as well as non-HEC scholars. HEC to Strengthen Nursing Workforce The Higher Education Commission has decided to create facilities for innovative and exciting recruitment and retention programmes for nursing work force in Pakistan. should also posses the capability to work as a role model for future developmental programmes. The meeting also discussed faculty development programmes for the discipline through training and quality assurance. “HEC will develop programmes for recruiting and retaining new nurses, experienced nurses and nursing students”. This was stated by Prof. Dr. Sohail. H. Naqvi, Executive Director HEC while chairing 6th Task Force Committee meeting on Nursing Education held at HEC secretariat recently. It was also decided that a countrywide survey should also be conducted to know various problems being faced by the discipline and to point out strategies for the development of skill enhancement in the nursing profession. It was decided in the meeting that all the educational institutions of medical disciplines should be involved in developing nursing curriculum keeping in view the needs and environment of the country. Dr. Naqvi asked the participants to develop a project proposal (PC-I) with mutual consultation. “For this purpose HEC will provide all the financial assistance”, he said. In this regard three sub-committees were constituted to develop a comprehensive report with reference to existing nursing curriculum. The meeting was attended by the representatives of all the educational institutions of medical disciplines from across the country including Aga Khan University Karachi, Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences, Islamabad, Shifa International Islamabad, AINC Lahore and JPNC Karachi etc. The report will consist of suggestions and strategies to formulate a uniform curriculum which should not only be acceptable to all medical institutions but 13 Social Sciences Conference at IIUI Dr. Ishrat for Leading Role of Social Scientists Dr. Ishrat Hussain, Chairman, HEC's Committee for Development of Social Sciences and Humanities , Dr. Anwar Hussain Siddiqui, President, IIUI and others address concluding ceremony of the Conference Giving a wake up call to Pakistani teachers and students of social sciences, Dr. Ishrat Hussain, Chairman, HEC's Committee for Development of Social Sciences and Humanities has said that the world is moving towards a knowledge-based economy and Pakistan will be left behind if our teachers and students do not come forward with empirical research in Social Sciences. amount is available for research, scholarship, faculty development, infrastructure and libraries etc in the field of social sciences. He urged teachers, researchers and students of social sciences to come forward and utilize the funds available in abundance for development of social sciences. Dr. Ishrat appealed senior faculty of universities not to discourage junior faculty with new ideas of research and asked to remove barriers of hierarchy, age and seniority in accepting original ideas of young and energetic researchers. 'Promote the culture of questioning and encourage your students and juniors to discuss their ideas openly and make research proposals. I appeal to social scientists of Pakistan to utilize the funds available at HEC and make a visible difference in the teaching, research and working of social scientists”, concluded Dr. Ishrat. He was addressing the concluding ceremony of the International Social Sciences Conference organized by the Faculty of Social Sciences, International Islamic University Islamabad. The theme of the conference was 'Teaching of Social Sciences in Pakistan: The Search of Community and Paradigm'. The Conference was funded by the Higher Education Commission Urging the social scientists for a more active role in research and development, Dr. Ishat said that all kinds of social problems existed in Pakistan that await attention of social scientists. “Issues like gender discrimination, poverty, balance among Islamic and global values, extremism and a large number of other issues deserve serious attention and practical involvement of social scientists for empirical research”, he stressed. Dr. Anwar Hussain Siddiqui, President IIUI, appreciated the concern developing in the HEC for balancing importance of social and pure sciences and said that solid research and significant publications in the field of social sciences is imperative for taking the nation out of social evils. Earlier, Dr. Khurram Qadir, Head, Department of History, IIUI, while elaborating the objectives of the conference said that development of a community of social scientists was one of the most important motives behind holding the conference. “There are many questions that cannot be answered by one discipline of social sciences. Coordinated research with interdisciplinary approach is need of the hour to answer questions of national importance with knowledge-based research”, he added. He thanked the HEC for funding the event and giving an opportunity to the social scientists of Pakistan to re-think their role in social development of country. Dr. Ishart said that the present government had made historic increase in educational budget and a large 14 IIUI Holds 19th Cultural Festival The International Islamic University, th Islamabad (IIUI) organized its 19 Cultural Festival at its H-10 Campus recently. Mr. Ali Awad Al-Asiri, Saudi Ambassador to Pakistan was chief guest at the inauguration ceremony. Highlighting the cordial relations between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia, Mr. Asiri said that Pakistan has vital position in the Islamic world and IIUI is playing its due role in disseminating Islamic knowledge in the societies including South Asia, Central Asia, and even in the Far East. He said that IIUI was a unique institute where the students were getting education in all fields of knowledge and they are equipping themselves culturally as well in a view to present a role model in this era. Dr. Anwar Hussain Siddiqui, President, IIUI said the present strength of 10,000 students at the University will reach to about 30,000 students during next 10 years. He said that Muslim cultural activities were held at women campus of the university for female students separately. Students from 27 countries highlighted the culture and common living of their countries at their separate stalls. They included stalls from Pakistan, Azad Kashmir, Jordon, Somalia, Nigeria, Nepal, Yemen, Sri Lanka, Afghanistan, China, Thailand, Indonesia, Saudi Arabia, Azerbaijan and Tajikistan. Mr. Ali Awad Al-Asiri, Ambassador of Saudi Arabia and Dr. Anwar Siddqui, President IIUI view a model of Masjid-e-Haraam at the cultural festival In addition, various faculties and departments of the University also arranged their stalls which included Iqra Centre for Technical Education, Da'wah Academy, International Institute of Islamic Economics, Islamic Research Institute, Shariah Academy, Faculty of Management Sciences, Faculty of Shariah and Law, Faculty of Basic and Applied Sciences, Faculty of Usuluddin, Faculty of Arabic, Faculty of Language Literature and Humanities and Faculty of Social Sciences. A literary gathering was also held in Arabic language which was largely attended by students from various countries. They recited their poems in Arabic language. An Urdu Mushaira was separately arranged as part of the cultural festival. Other activities of the festival included calligraphic competition, debates in Arabic, English and Urdu, Husn-e-Qirrat, Programming Competition, Teachers Race and Tug of War, Sports, Hifz ul Quran and Hifz ul Hadith and Interfaculty quiz competitions. The ceremony was attended by various ambassadors and diplomats based in Islamabad. On second day of the cultural festival, a cultural night was held where students presented plays. Dr. Azhar Javed, Head, Department of Law, Faculty of Shariah and Law, International Islamic University, Islamabad died of cardiac arrest recently. He was fifty. Dr. Azhar did his doctorate from Leeds University, UK before serving IIUI for about two decades. He was laid to rest at his native town near Wah Cantt. His Namaz-e-Janaza was attended by a large number of people including IIU faculty members, students and staff members. Dr Anwar Hussain Siddiqui, President IIUI paid rich tributes to Dr. Azhar for his services to the University. 15 Hazara University Holds 1st Convocation Lt. Gen. (R) Ali Muhammad Jan Aurakzai, Governor NWFP and Prof. Dr. Ihsan Ali, Vice Chancellor, Hazara University speak during the 1st convocation of the University The first convocation of Hazara University was held on March 22, 2007. Lt. Gen. (R) Ali Muhammad Jan Aurakzai, Governor, NWFP, who is also Chancellor of the University, was the chief guest. their respective fields. “You have embarked upon a new journey in your lives. Education and training are the tools that will help you to face the challenges of life”, he said. Speaking at the occasion, the Governor said that the youth should step forward to herald dawn of a new era of peaceful co-existence and enlightened moderation. He appreciated the achievements of Hazara University despite the devastating earthquake of October 2005. In his welcome address, Prof. Dr. Ihsan Ali, Vice Chancellor, Hazara University talked about the challenges faced by the University. He, however, vowed to make the University a prime seat of learning and research. In the end, the Governor awarded degrees and medals to the graduates. In all, 553 MSc, MBA, MA, BBA, BSc (Hons) graduates received their degrees, while 57 graduates were awarded gold medals. While addressing the students, he said that learning was a continuous process. He advised the graduates to achieve professional excellence in NEWS in Picture Prof. Dr. S. Sohail H. Naqvi, Executive Director, Higher Education Commission (HEC), inaugurates the new website (www.iba-suk.edu.pk) of the Institute of Business Administration, Sukkur during his recent visit to the Institute. Mr. Nisar Ahmed Siddiqui, Director IBA, briefed him about the vision of the Institute. Dr. Naqvi appreciated the efforts of the Director and faculty members of IBA for providing merit based quality education to the students. He assured full support from HEC for uplift of the Institute. 16 Greenwich University Holds 4th Convocation Ms Seema Mughal, Vice Chancellor, Greenwich University confers Honourary Doctorate degree on Mr. Hameed Haroon, CEO, Dawn Group of Newspapers “In this age of globalization, the role of education cannot be over emphasized. All stakeholders have to realize that Pakistan will never be able to get out of the quagmire of socio-economic backwardness without bringing about qualitative and quantitative improvements in our education system," said President Musharraf, in his message on the 4th convocation of Greenwich University. to classrooms, laboratories, and libraries. Greenwich has a more innovative, dynamic and more comprehensive approach to education”, she added. Ms Mughal said that the graduates of Greenwich University are exposed to a variety of formal and informal learning situations, where they are trained to cope with all kinds of stressful situations, without losing their equanimity. At the Convocation, held on March 24, 2007, degrees in different disciplines at Masters, Bachelors, and Baccalaureates levels were conferred on a total of 362 students, while gold medals were awarded to twelve students who had excelled in various disciplines. The most outstanding aspect of Convocation 2007, however, was the conferment of Honorary Doctorate degrees on Mr. Hameed Haroon, CEO, Dawn Group of Newspapers and Prof. Dr. M. Riad H. Ismat, Syrian Ambassador to Pakistan. In her address, Ms Seema Mughal, Vice Chancellor, Greenwich University said, “A Convocation represents a landmark in the academic life of a graduating student. It marks the end of one journey and beginning of another. It is a day not only of rejoicing but also of thanksgiving, both for the graduating students and their proud parents". The degrees were conferred on the two distinguished personalities for their contributions to Print Media and Drama, respectively. 'Greenwich Alumnus Excellence Award' went to Ms. Farah Agha, Chief Executive Officer of the largest open end spinning mill in the country. "We at Greenwich have discarded the obsolete approaches to education which had confined learning 17 GCU Lahore, HKBU Sign MoU A delegation from Hong Kong Baptist University (HKBU) led by its VicePresident Prof. Y. K. Fan visited Government College University, Lahore recently. A Memorandum of Understanding was signed to collaborate and establish links between the two universities. The MoU stipulates the faculty and student exchange programmes. On the occasion, Prof. Fan informed the hosts about different disciplines and research being carried out at the HKBU. He also proposed setting up of Pakistan Chair at his University as a step forward towards establishing relationship in Academic Exchange Programmes. Prof. Dr. Khalid Aftab, Vice Chancellor, GCU, Lahore apprised the delegation about growth and progress of his Institution and various disciplines in emerging fields being offered to the students. The guests also visited the Sustainable Development Study Centre, Department of Economics and Postgraduate Library. Vice Chancellor, GCU Lahore and Vice President HKBU sign the Agreement Meanwhile, another MoU was signed with the Hong Kong University on academic links and collaboration in research and development programme during a visit of Prof. John A. Spinks, Senior Adviser to Vice Chancellor of Hong Kong University. According to this Agreement, HKU will offer undergraduate scholarships to the students of GCU and this will be reciprocated by GCU on same terms and conditions. Both the universities also committed to provide assistance to the students for visa facilitation and the other support with respect to boarding and lodging. Application of Strategic Management Process for Entrepreneurs One-day Workshop at GCU, Lahore A one-day workshop titled 'Enterprise Growth Skills: Application of Strategic Management Process for Entrepreneurs' was arranged under the auspices of GC University, LahoreCranfield Joint Higher Education Link Programme in the Department of Economics, GCU, Lahore on April 24, 2007. The link has been established under HEC-British Council Joint Link Programme. The Workshop, which was part of the activities planned for the third year of this link, focused on developing the enterprise growth skills for entrepreneurs. Mr. Abdul Hamid Malik, Management Consultant and visiting faculty member at the Department of Economics, GCU was the resource person. Prof. Dr. Khalid Aftab, Vice Chancellor, GC University Lahore, while inaugurating the workshop, welcomed the participants and encouraged them to learn new management skills for achieving the competitive advantage in the increasingly competitive global business environment. Mr. Abdul Hamid Malik, the resource person, explained the 18 entrepreneurial process and various steps involved in the strategic management process to the participants. He described the industry life cycle and asserted the role of innovation and creativity in attaining and maintaining the sustained competitive advantage. to innovate and remain a leader in their respective industries. After his presentation, the entrepreneurs were asked to categorize their companies according to their market shares and growth rates and formulate a strategy to remain at the top among their competitions. He classified the various organizations as cash cows, star, question mark and dog companies, according to their performance with reference to market share and anticipated growth rates. He also explained the strategies which could be adopted by entrepreneurs The entrepreneurs were assisted by few representative students, teachers, and bankers community in this process. The entrepreneurs then gave presentations about their organizations. NEWS in Picture The Fine Arts Department of Government College University, Lahore organized a three-day exhibition and competition of Fine Arts. More than 12 colleges and universities participated in the competition. Dr. Shaukat Mehmood (Maxim cartoonist), who was chief guest on the occasion, inaugurated the Exhibition. Dr. Khalid Aftab, Vice Chancellor, GCU Lahore and Mr. Erfan Ullah Babar, Chairman, Department of Fine Arts were also present. More than 60 paintings were displayed at Salam Hall, GC University. Dr. Shaukat appreciated the creative work done by the students. In the competition, Queen Mary College, Lahore; Lahore College for Women University, Lahore and Govt. College for Women, Gulberg got first, second and third positions respectively. 19 'Poverty Alleviation through Agribusiness’ An inter-university seminar on “Poverty Alleviation through Agribusiness” was conducted by Economics Department of the Lahore College for Women University (LCWU), Lahore recently. An introduction to the topic was given by Ms. Tallat Yazdani, Associate Professor of Economics at LCWU. She highlighted the significance and core relationship between two major issues i.e. poverty alleviation and an improvement cum advancement of agriculture in Pakistan. In her presentation, Prof. Ms Riffat Saqlain, Dean of Social Sciences, LCWU gave a detailed and comprehensive analysis of both the issues accompanied with several suggestions for improving the quality and expanding the size of agribusiness activities. (L to R) Dr. Sohail Zafar Cheema, Punjab Minister for Commerce and Investment, Prof. Dr. Bushra Mateen, VC, LCWU and Prof. Ms. Riffat Saqlain pose for a photograph Prof. Dr. Zakir Hussain, Chairman, Economics Department, University of Sargodha discussed at length the inverse relationship between the level of agricultural productivity and extent of poverty prevailing in different regions of Pakistan. It was accompanied with presentation of data from different regions and different crops and fruits. She provided a detailed analysis of the various steps being taken by the Government of Punjab for tackling the concerned issues. She also gave a report on the project of Punjab Government being executed in twelve districts of the Province. Dr. Sohail Zafar Cheema, Minister for Commerce and Investment Department, Government of Punjab, was chief guest on the occasion. He highlighted various measures being taken by the Punjab Government for tackling the issue. Prof. Dr. Khalid Mustafa, Chairman, Department of Marketing and Agribusiness, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad presented an elaborate and technical analysis of the problems of agriculture like water availability, quality of seeds, types of fertilizer and marketing of product. In her address, Prof. Dr. Bushra Mateen, Vice Chancellor, LCWU emphasized the quality and standardization aspects for increasing the extent of market for agricultural products at home and abroad. The final presentation was made by Ms Saima Ghafoor, District Project Officer, DCO Office, Gujrat. Prof. Dr. Said Khan Khalil, Vice Chancellor, NWFP Agriculture University, Peshawar attended a two-day consultation workshop at International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD) Kathmandu, Nepal. The title of the Workshop was Postgraduate Fellowship and Consortium Development with Universities in the Greater Himalayan Region: With Initial Focus on Capacity Building of Kabul University. The meeting was attended by vice chancellors and other representatives from Afghanistan, China, Bhutan, India, Nepal, Pakistan and other relevant regional and European organizations. The two-day deliberations mainly focused on the forging of a strong alliance of teaching, research, training and policy advocacy, especially on ways of supporting the development of Kabul University. The consultation workshop ended with the recommendations to create a broad-based consortium of universities and institutions embedded in the region to be called “Himalayan University Consortium (HUC), develop curriculum, knowledge networking, policy advocacy, and promoting the concept, practice of sustainable mountain development and map the academic and fellowship resources available in the member universities and institutions. 20 Design, Build and Flying Contest Held Design, Build and Flying Contest was held at GIK Institute recently. Air Marshal Khalid Chaudhry, Chairman, Pakistan Aeronautical Complex, Kamra was chief guest on the occasion. In his address, Mr. Khalid said that the Contest had proved that our youth could excel even in the limited resources available to them. “The 21st century is extremely competitive but the habit of reading and desire to excel can lead our youth to attain their goal”, he said. The PAC Chairman said that it was encouraging and appreciable to see the excellent design, build and flying efforts made by the young engineers. “The level of professionalism and design is really attractive,” he added. The experts from PAC Kamra could visit the GIK Institute to guide our students,” said Rector, Dr. Abdullah Sadiq. Dr. Muhammad Abid, Coordinator of the Contest, said, “The contest is aimed to provide a platform to the undergraduate engineering students from all over Pakistan to participate in a multi-disciplinary field of aero-modelling, with a view to increase awareness, promote Aero Modelling display at GIKI creativity, learn practical implementation of designs and improve presentation skills”. Meanwhile, a three-day All Pakistan Mechanical Engineering Competition was also held at GIK Institute. The competition was organised by American Society of Mechanical Engineering, GIKI chapter. The students belonging to engineering varsities from all over the country participated in the competition. The contest encouraged the students to design models that demonstrate creativity and technical feasibility. The engineers competed in speed modelling and design using pro-E software. Technical papers related to the field of mechanical engineering were also presented. Intel Malaysia Selects Four GIKI Students Intel Malaysia has selected four students of GIK Institute for Summer Internships. This was stated by Mr. Hoo Tan, Manager Intel Cyberjaya and Edwin Lae, Innovation Centre Manager Intel Malaysia at the concluding ceremony of their four-day visit to the GIK Institute. Intel officials interviewed 11 students short listed from the Faculty of Computer Science and Engineering and the Faculty of Electronic Engineering. However, four students were finally selected to go to Malaysia for their summer internships. The visitors held talks with the GIKI academic staff to explore ways of mutual collaboration. They discussed various options, including launching of joint research projects. “The GIKI-Intel strong relations will continue to grow more in future. We were very impressed by the quality of education, world-class curriculum and talented faculty as well as GIK Institute students”, Mr. Hoo Tan said. 21 GIKI Holds Industrial Open House, Career Fair Forty-one multinational and national companies participated in the GIK Institute 'Industrial Open House and Career Fair' held from April 11-12, 2007. The main purpose was to provide a meeting place to the students and their prospective employers. Speaking on the occasion, he said every project was outstanding which showed that the educational standard and confidence among the GIKI students was remarkable. Dr. Abdullah Sadiq, Rector GIKI said that the Institute was striving to contribute to the rapid technoindustrial transformation of the country and region by producing professionals of the highest caliber. During the Industrial Open House, a poster presentation session was held in which the students presented their final year projects in the form of posters and other demonstrations. The event provided an opportunity to professionals from the industries and research organizations to meet the faculty and students and discuss linkages between academia and entrepreneurs. “GIKI is a partner of the Asia-Link Programme of the European Union comprising seven universities from six countries. It has also successfully competed for the newly launched Pak-US Project and is perhaps the first Pakistani University to get research grants of the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) and the Islamic Development Bank”, he said. Mr. William Toh, Managing Director and CEO, Pakistan Tobacco Company, was chief guest at the concluding ceremony. He visited projects of the students and highly appreciated their work and skill. Seminar on Genetic & Biomedical Engineering Dr. Nasir Jamali, Dr. A.Q.K. Rajput, Dr. Aijaz Patoli and Dr. B. S. Chowdhry address participants of the Seminar Dr. Nasir. Z. Jamali, Research Associate, Sunny Downstate Hospital, New York, USA delivered a lecture during a seminar on “Importance of Basic Research in Genetic and Biomedical Engineering” at Mehran University of Engineering and Technology recently. choices among the multitude of biomedical research fields and to establish productive national and international contacts. Every aspect of health and disease, from the molecular mechanisms of gene action to population studies of global illnesses contributes to improve understanding of the cause of diseases and better treatment and prevention of many disorders. Researcher, educators, and clinicians can help each other to reach the common goals of improving people's health and alleviate suffering from disease”, he said. In his presentation Dr. Jamali pointed out that a successful basic science research programme needs an environment that encourages free and open inquiry, which provides supportive services for academic achievement, scholarship, and creativity. “When you are heading for a research education you will get the deeper knowledge about research and development, increasing possibilities to make active Dr. AQK Rajput, Vice Chancellor, MUET and Prof. Dr. B. S. Chowdhry, Chairman, Department of Biomedical Engineering also spoke at the occasion. 22 NIIT Organizes Int'l Workshop on Networking NUST Institute of Information Technology (NIIT) organized a one-day international workshop on "Connection-Oriented Networks, MPLS, GMPLS and Optical Networks" on April 26, 2007. developments in the relevant fields. Dr. Harry Perros delivered a series of talks at different intervals in the second session. His main themes included areas like Wavelength Routing Networks, Protection schemes, and WDM rings; Multi-protocol Label Switching; Optical Burst Switching; Next Generation Networks (NGN). Dr. Harry G. Perros, an expert in Optical Networking, was keynote speaker from USA besides local experts. Dr. Perros is credited with four books on networksrelated subjects. He is a Professor of Computer Science, an Alumni Distinguished Graduate Professor, and the Programme Coordinator of the Master of Science degree in Computer Networks at NC State University, USA. In his presentation, Dr. S. M. H. Zaidi focused on Broadband Access Technology Evolution Patters: Strategy and Recommendations for the Asian Region. Later, he presented the architecture, simulation set-up and results of his team's proposed NUST-Hybrid Passive Optical Network. In his opening address Dr. S. M. H. Zaidi, Dean, NIIT underscored the importance of the workshop as a means of stimulating young researchers' interest in new research areas. Air Vice Marshal Khalid Masood Rajpoot, Deputy Chief of the Air Staff (Engineering), Pakistan Air Force was chief guest at the concluding session along with the Guest of Honour Admiral Mohammad Mushtaq, ProRector National University of Sciences and Technology. Dr. Muhammad Yasin, Technical Member, termed the current boom of information and communication technology a welcome opportunity for multi million dollar investments in optical networks, radio frequency identification and nano technologies. Mr. Masood praised NllT's efforts in disseminating vitally needed technological awareness through international workshops and seminars. He indicated PAF's interest in benefiting from NUST's expertise in high-speed access network. During the second session, faculty and students from NIIT also presented their research findings and Royal College Office at UHS for MRCP Exams The Federation of Royal College of Physicians, UK, has announced establishment of its office at the University of Health Sciences (UHS), Lahore for holding first MRCP examinations in Pakistan from 2008. The University has received intimation in this regard from the College. the decision, saying it shows the Royal College's confidence in the varsity's examination system. He said now the Pakistani medical graduates would not face difficulties in getting British visa for postdoctoral studies, and they would also not have to go to Cyprus, India or China for getting the degree any more. The Royal College has appointed Prof. Dr. M. Akbar Chaudhry as chairman of the examination committee and has asked him to convene a meeting of Fellows of Royal Colleges to plan for the clinical examination from 2008. The decision to set up its central office in UHS came after the visit of Royal College's Academic VicePresident Prof. Parveen Kumar and Medical Director Dr. Neil Dewhurst to the University. The Royal College of Physicians, London, will also conduct training courses for educators and examiners at the UHS. The courses will be conducted by a special team, headed by Prof. Parveen Kumar. Prof. Mubbashar Malik, UHS Vice Chancellor has welcomed MRCP, a postgraduate examination, is usually taken during the period of general professional training in medicine, which follows registration with General Medical Council of the UK. 23 r r ESEARCH ESEARCH Understanding Allergies and Asthma Allergic diseases and asthma have created havoc around the globe. They are prevalent in various parts of the world and it is believed that their incidence is escalating at an alarming rate. They affect the people of all ages and are a significant cause of morbidity and mortality in all age groups, especially children. World Health Organization (WHO) has documented 300 million asthma sufferers and has reported 2,55,000 deaths due to asthma in 2005. Asthma and allergy remain a continuous cause of the loss of precious school and working hours and lack of productivity among the general masses. They bring about enormous financial burden on the society and cast a major impression on a nation's economy in terms of medications, hospitalization, lost working hours and reduced work output. We belong to a developing country and unfortunately our population suffers at the hands of allergies and asthma as much as those of the developed countries. A place where quality basic medical care is available to a few, the sufferings of the poor are made worse not only because of the inaccessibility to the medical care, but also due to the lack of awareness about health and hygiene. They suffer both at the hands of disease and mismanagement because proper treatment requires understanding of asthma and allergic disorders in a broader perspective, which is usually deficient in our population. Most of the developed and many developing countries are running programmes on Allergy and Asthma research, but we are lagging far behind. It is the irony of fate that we do not even have the true epidemiological picture of our environment to depict the actual scenario, we also lack the information about the possible allergens present in our ambience. This data is much needed to comprehend the situation in its actual colours because we need to assess the damage already done and problems which are coming forth, because if a solid strategy is not devised to control these diseases, our population will continue to suffer from diseases which are easily manageable. Dr. Muhammad Anwar Waqar (left) is a Distinguished National Professor and Senior teacher of Cell and Molecular Biology at Dr. Panjwani Centre for Molecular Medicine and Drug Research (PCMD), University of Karachi. Mr. Yahya Noori (right) is a PhD scholar at PCMD, University of Karachi. Allergic diseases and asthma have a very well defined modus operandi. They are hypersensitivity disorders, which mean that they are a result of our body's excessive response to minor offenders, generally not supposed to incite such a response of great magnitude. These offenders are called allergens. These allergens are present both in our indoor or outdoor surroundings. Outdoor allergens can be pollen from grasses, trees, weeds or fungal spores, while indoor allergens can be fecal material from cockroaches, dust mites, cat or dog dander, fungal spores and many other objects. When they interact with our body, they sensitize us and are capable of throwing us into the frenzy of coughing, sneezing, urticaria and lachrymation, making us useless for many hours. To understand asthma and allergic disorders, it is very important to be aware of the events which take place at the cellular and molecular level. It is a type-I hypersensitivity response, which is mainly meant to protect the body against parasitic infections. In allergic patients, this response is misdirected and causes damage to the body itself. Type-I hypersensitivity response is mediated by IgE antibodies secreted by plasma cells in response to antigenspecific TH2 helper T cells. These antibodies bind to tissue mast cells and basophils and make them sensitized. Subsequent exposure leads to cross linking of these IgE antibodies, which causes degranulation of mast cells and 24 Research Research basophils with the release of vasoactive molecules like histamine, heparin, prostaglandins, and cytokines that cause increased vascular permeability, mucous secretion, contraction of bronchial smooth muscle and other effects that lead to the symptoms of asthma and allergy. This does not occur in all individuals, but is specific for some people called atopic. This atopicity shows strong familial predisposition and the affected people are said to have some immune dysfunction, which leads to the hyper-reactivity of the immune system, that is otherwise not supposed to happen. These days, the treatment employed for these disorders is symptomatic rather than curative, and people are treated with antihistamines or immunosuppressants, that do not cure but rather alleviate the condition of the patient. Another possible treatment, which is now increasingly being used to treat allergies and asthma, is the immunotherapy. The concept is not very new but dates back to early twentieth century when Noon and Freeman tried to perform inoculation against hay fever. The antigens are isolated, treated and purified to be used as desensitizers that decrease the hyper-reactivity of the immune system. They shift the immune response from a predominant TH2-IgE to TH1 that does not lead to the formation of IgE antibodies and thus prevents the patients from effects of hypersensitivity leading to allergies and asthma. Immunotherapy is performed by either sublingual or subcutaneous route. It is generally safe, and studies have shown that they are efficient in decreasing the hyper-responsiveness of the immune system of the atopic individuals. In Pakistan, allergy and asthma have been a hot topic due to suffering of the people of the Federal Capital. For long, Paper Mulberry has been known as the culprit and all efforts have been made to eradicate it from Islamabad. But in spite of all the efforts, yet allergy remains a major problem for citizens that haunt them more than before. This signifies that Mulberry was only used as scapegoat, and an excuse for chopping off thousands of trees. Allergy is still there, and is still a problem for the people of Islamabad. As a matter of fact, the mulberry myth should ring some bells that it might not be the sole agent responsible for all the mayhem in Islamabad, there may be other factors, such as fungal spores, which could be a cause of the problems of the Federal Capital. It is high time that we should stop believing in myths, and start thinking scientifically and take pragmatic steps towards allergy research in Pakistan. This would not only help the ailing masses of our country but would also be a great service to the humanity. There is a problem with the allergy vaccines that they have to be prepared locally and they must contain extracts from local allergens because allergens are specific for specific areas and they also vary from season to season. As a first step in the basic Allergy Research, we at Dr. Panjwani Centre for Molecular Medicine and Drug Research (PCMD) have shouldered the responsibility to create a database of aerobiological agents present in the atmosphere of Pakistan. PCMD works under the umbrella of International Centre for Chemical and Biological Sciences, located at the University of Karachi. The Higher Education Commission (HEC) has generously provided the funding for this project. We have already initiated our work at Karachi and Islamabad and have started collection of pollen and spore samples in these cities. Epidemiological studies are also being carried out to find out the pattern of symptoms in the general population. This database will be used to find out the actual culprits in the causation of allergies and preparation of local allergy calendar for the masses. This allergy calendar can be used to forecast about the allergens and warn the sensitized individuals to take precautionary measures. The identified offenders would be used in the preparation of allergy vaccines in Pakistan, which could be used to desensitize the allergy patients. This project is being run in collaboration with King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre (KFSHRC) in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia as the Director of Allergy and Aerobiology Unit, KFSHRC, Dr. Syed M. Hasnain has a vast experience in conducting Allergy Research. This allergy calendar can be used to forecast allergens and warn the sensitized individuals to take precautionary measures and prevent themselves from illness and loss of working and school-hours. 25 UAE University Team Wins Microsoft Imagine Cup The winning team to compete in the world championships in Seoul, Korea in August 2007 The United Arab Emirates University Team was recently announced as winner of the Microsoft Imagine Cup 2007 in Dubai, after competing head to head against three other teams. Microsoft Gulf, in partnership with Centre of Excellence for Applied Research and Training (CERT), i-mate and Emirates Integrated Telecommunication Company, opened registration to Imagine Cup 2007 last November for students from the UAE, Qatar, Bahrain, Oman and Kuwait at an event held in Abu Dhabi, in conjunction with the global launch of the competition. Two hundred and twenty students from universities across the region entered the competition, and nine project proposals were short listed. The panel of judges chose the best four entries submitted to be presented in finals in Dubai. "Imagine Cup, the world's premiere student technology competition, represents the next generation of technology and business leaders," said Charbel Fakhoury, General Manager, Microsoft Gulf. "Microsoft is proud to announce the inclusion of the Gulf countries in this competition, as we believe that these students have a lot to contribute in terms of both innovation and technology to really make a difference in peoples' everyday lives", he said. Dubai sets an ideal environment for fostering innovation and enabling people to realize their full potential. The technology available for students coupled with state-of-the-art university facilities enables students to expand on their knowledge, and see their innovative and creative ideas materialize into inventions that can help improve people's lives. More than 65,000 students from 100 countries competed in Microsoft Corp.'s Imagine Cup 2006 competition, using their technology skills and talent to create new technologies that can benefit mankind. The theme for the Imagine Cup 2007 revolves around education, and it asked the brilliant minds of the future to "imagine a world where technology enables a better education for all." Now in its fifth year, Imagine Cup challenges students to bring their ideas to life in a multifaceted competition that comprises nine categories, each catering to a different technological or artistic affinity. Students' work reflected valuable, real world solutions, while giving them the 26 Imagine cup winners opportunity to compete for cash prizes. When coupled with the power of technology, the potential of young people is unlimited and the ideas they develop for the Imagine Cup could significantly improve the lives of millions of people around the world. Students competed in nine categories spanning from software design and short film to challenges involving algorithms and programming. Students' work reflected valuable, real-world solutions that addressed the pressing global issue of education while giving them the opportunity to compete for generous cash prizes. The United Arab Emirates University Team's project entitled 'Mobile Learning - A Specification of SMS Quiz Engine' was developed by four young students Eiman Al Mansoori, Hifa Ahmed Jarah, Fatema Al Mansoori, and Ghalyah Ali, and was able to succeed in winning the Microsoft Imagine Cup 2007. The young students will travel to Seoul, Korea where they will compete in the world championships in August 2007, to present their entries to a panel of judges from academia and the technology industry. The finalists will be selected, and a worldwide winner from each category will be announced. Prizes for Imagine Cup 2007 will total more than US $170,000 across the nine categories. Courtesy: www.zawya.com Australia Creates $5 Billion Fund for Varsity Research Australia will create a A$5 billion ($4.1 billion) fund for universities and will spend more money on schools and teachers, Treasurer Peter Costello said. The A$5 billion endowment fund, to be created from the 2006-07 budget surplus, will earn dividends of between A$300 million to A$400 million a year. The income will be allocated to universities. Costello said money from future cash surpluses would be added to the fund. The fund will be used to pay for research and repairs to crumbling buildings and other works at universities and colleges. The government will also spend A$3.5 billion to increase numeracy and literacy among school children, providing vouchers for private tutoring and summer schools for teachers to train. The Australian government forecast a A$10.6 billion surplus in the year ending June 30, 2008, and A$12.9 billion the following year. “This is a bold and innovative fund that will invest in our future,'' Costello told reporters in Canberra as he released the 2007-08 budget. “It is the greatest educational endowment that will set Australia up for generations.'' “We will add to the fund out of the next financial year and in the years after that,'' Costello said. “We have the aim of building a perpetual fund, which will create first-class institutions”. Courtesy: Bloomberg.com Diabetes Drug May Help Fight Breast Cancer Drugs developed to tackle obesity and diabetes may also fight breast cancer, scientists have found. They believe they work by blocking an enzyme behind two out of five cases of the cancer. "The excitement is we are not going to have to wait for seven years of research. The compound has already been developed in many cases. "Clinical trials for diabetes have shown that the drug has very low toxicity in comparison to other anticancer treatments, so the side effects are minimal, especially when it's administered for a very short period. The drugs have already been tested for safety in clinical trials for their original use. That means they could be fast-tracked into trials on breast cancer patients, and reach the market much more quickly. A brand new drug would take many years to research and develop. The scientists, from McGill University in Montreal, looked at the role an enzyme called PTP1B plays in breast cancer. "Today, we are starting to look at the role of PTP1B in other types of cancer, like ovarian cancer and certain deadly kinds of adult leukaemia. We hope to start those studies in the months ahead." It is already known to be an important factor in diabetes and obesity, but it is also found in high levels in around 40 per cent of breast cancer patients. Dr. Philip Branton, of the Canadian Institute of Cancer Research, said: "This is already halfway or more than halfway down the pipeline. Using mice genetically engineered to be prone to breast cancer, the researchers found that blocking production of the enzyme significantly slowed tumour development - and in some cases stopped tumours from forming altogether. Cutting off the supply of the enzyme also stopped the cancer from spreading to the lungs. The mice involved were genetically engineered to make a rogue protein that fuels the growth of up to a quarter of breast cancers in women. The best treatment for this type, which grows and spreads particularly quickly, is the drug Herceptin. Dr. Tremblay said that combining the new drugs with Herceptin could provide 'a two-way kill'. Researcher Dr. Michel Tremblay, whose findings are reported in the journal Nature Genetics, described the find as "very important and surprising". Courtesy: Daily Mail 27 National Research Grant for Universities Under Research Grant Project of Higher Education Commission, creative researchers of the country working in various fields of science and technology as well as social sciences are awarded research grants to enable them to conduct R&D in priority areas of science and technology, relevant to national needs. Twenty projects are being included in this issue. The other project proposals will continue to be published in the forthcoming issue of the magazine. Principal Investigator Subject Institution Amount Rs. Period Dr. Hamidullah Shah Mycotoxins in cereal crops as a risk NWFP Agricultural factor for food safety in Pakistan University, Peshawar 1,901,117 3 Years Dr. Nasir Ahmad Saeed Molecular genetic study of NBS-LRR Quaid-i-Azam University, super-family of resistance (R) Islamabad genes for developing leaf rust disease resistance in wheat (T. aestivum) 1,968,600 3 Years Dr. Abdul Hakeem Shaikh Ecology, dynamics and potential of Federal Urdu University of some micro-organisms on Arts, Sciences & population health of Karachi Technology, Karachi district 1,974,995 3 Years Dr. Raheel Qamar Mapping the genes responsible for autosomal recessive retinitis Pigmentosa COMSATS Institute of Information Technology, Islamabad 5,964,450 3 Years Dr. Abdur Rab Evaluation of heat treatment methods for the posthaevest quality and storage life of citrus (sweet orange) fruit NWFP Agriculture University, Peshawar 1,032,240 2 Years Dr. Hidayat -ur-Rahman Production of modified double cross NWFP Agriculture maize hybrids as source of low cost University, Peshawar seed 1,705,170 3 Years Dr. Shahla Siddiqui An assessment of expectations of The Aga Khan University, families of patients admitted in the Karachi intensive care unit 56,304 3 Months Dr. Dileep Kumar Rohra Quantification of cell free foetal The Aga Khan University, mRNA in maternal plasma: An Karachi approach towards the development of a predictive biochemical marker for preeclampsia 3,105,900 2 Years Dr. Asifa Ahmed Differential proteomic analysis of human ocular fluids 1,099,050 2 Years 28 COMSATS Institute of Information Technology, Islamabad Principal Investigator Subject Institution Dr. Tahira Nasreen Arshed Postgraduate “Diploma in Physics Education”- Training physics graduates for the teaching profession using research -Based interactive techniques in quality Education Amount Period Rs. Federal Urdu University of Arts, Science and Technology, Karachi 3,723,500 2 Years Dr. Zahid Mahmood Parent – child relationship : attachment styles, parental – rearing and children behavioural problems GC University, Lahore 2,099,645 3 Years Dr. Yasin Raashid The release trial: a randomised trail of umbilical vein oxytocin versus placebo for the treatment of retained placenta King Edward Medical University, Lahore 829,770 3 Years Dr. Farooq Latif Strain improvement of humicola specie/s for over production of cellulase and application in the finishing of garments Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad 3,704,640 3 Years University of Karachi, Karachi 1,899,451 3 Years Dr. Sumayya Saied Evaluation of disinfection by- products University of Karachi, (DBPs) and mutagen level and their Karachi formation potential associated health risk in the various sources of drinking water of Karachi 1,948,000 2 Years Dr. Majid Mumtaz Evaluation of heavy metals pollution in the edible fishes of Arabian sea along the Karachi coastal region University of Karachi, Karachi 764,000 1 Year Dr. Muhammd Afzal Ghauri Biotechnological applications of microorganisms in bioleaching and bioremediation of metals Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad 3,598,927 3 Years Dr. Tahira Iqbal Molecular heterogeneity of University of Agriculture, acetylation of different probe drugs in Faisalabad local populations 4,384,470 2 Years Dr. Sheikh Abdul Saeed Effect of chronic treatment with the constituent s of nigella sativa seeds extract on reproductive parameters in male rat The Aga Khan University, Karachi 972,391 3 Years Dr. Nasrullah Khan Minimum ignition energy study of combustible fuel gases Federal Urdu University of Arts, Science & Technology, Islamabad 9,477,735 3 Years Dr. Muhammad Raza Shah Synthesis of nanotubes and ring polymers from realm of scientific curiosoty to reality 29 Travel Grants to Teachers Following travel grants, for the faculty members of public sector universities, were sanctioned in February 2007: Name & Address of applicant Prof. Dr. Ahmad Saeed, D/o Chemistry, Gomal University D. I. Khan Ms. Asma Saeed, Lecturer, D/o Biological Science, Gomal University, D. I. Khan Mr. Abdul Raziq, PhD Scholar, D/o Livestock Management, U/o Agriculture, Faisalabad Dr. Muhammad Younas, Professor, D/o Livestock Management, U/o Agriculture, Faisalabad Mr. Kashif Altaf, Lecturer, D/o Electrical Engineering, CIIT, Islamabad Dr. Muhammad Zafar Iqbal, Professor, Dean, D/o Teacher Education, AIOU, Islamabad Dr. Mulazim Hussain Bukhari, Asst. Prof., D/o Pathology, King Edward Medical University, Lahore Mr. Muhammad Ishfaq Khan, Lecturer/PhD Scholar, D/o Weed Sc. NWFP Agri. University, Peshawar Mr. Abrar Ahmad, Associate Prof., D/o Management Science, Iqra University, Islamabad Prof. Dr. Muhammad Iqbal Ch., Dir (Acting), HEJ Research Institute, U/o Karachi. Ms. Imrana Muzammil Sial, PhD Scholar,Marine Reference Collection & Resource Centre, U/o Karachi Ms Fariha Muniza, PhD Scholar, Marine Reference Collection & Resource Centre, U/o Karachi Ms Farhana Shafiq Ghory, PhD Scholar, D/o Zoology, U/o Karachi Ms Hala Bano, PhD Scholar, D/o Zoology, U/o Karachi Dr. Faisal Manzoor Arain, Asst. Prof., D/o Management, IBA, Karachi Mr. Sh. Muhammad Nawaz, Asst. Prof., D/o Fibre Technology, U/o Agriculture Faisalabad Mr. Saif Ullah Khan, PhD Scholar, D/o Geography, U/o Peshawar. Ms. Farah Naz, Research Associate, National Centre of Excellence, U/o Sindh, Jamshoro Dr. Altaf Ali Siyal, Associate Prof, D/o Land and water Management, SAU, Tandojam Title of Conference 9th Int’l Symposium on Protein Structure Karachi Date(s) of Conference 11-14.01.2007 9th Int’l Symposium on Protein Structure Karachi 11-14.01.2007 18,180 India 16-17.02.2007 51,680 India 16-17.02.2007 50,000 Greece 16-19.02.2007 125,615 Int’l Camel Conference on Recent Trend s in Cameild Research Int’l Camel Conference on Recent Trends in Cameild Research WSEAS Int’l Conference on signal Processing th 19 Annual at -Risk Youth National Forum Venue Recommended grant in PKR 19,555 USA 17-21.02.2007 149,500 Int’l Conference Recent Advances in Clinical Oncology UAE 19-22.2.2007 95,200 International Conference on Environment Survival and Sustainability 9th South Asian Management Forum Conference Cyprus 19-24.02.2007 95,500 Bangladesh 24-25.02.2007 75,810 India 24-26.02.2007 43,750 Multan 27 Feb. to 01 March 2007 14,770 27th Pakistan Congress of Zoology Multan 27 Feb. to 01 March 2007 14,770 27th Pakistan Congress of Zoology 27th Pakistan Congress of Zoology 5th Int’l Conference on Construction Textile Institute 85th World Conference, 2007 Multan 27 Feb. to 01 March 2007 27 Feb. to 01 March 2007 1-2.03.2007 14,770 Colombo, Sri Lanka 1-3.03.2007 109,900 Hanoi, Vietnam Greece 05-08.03.2007 74,750 9-11.03.2007 93,580 Bangladesh 12-14.03.2007 55,800 th 11 ISCB Conference (Int’l Conference on Advance in Drug 27th Pakistan Congress of Zoology International Conference by USEPAM 5th Int’l Congress on Food Technology Int’l Conference on Water & Flood Management 30 Multan Singapore 14,770 98,350 Name & Address of applicant Syed Hameed Qaiser, PhD Scholar, D/o Computer Engg. (CASE), UET Taxila Ms. Maria Mahar Shaikh, MS Student, D/o Computer Science, PAF-Karachi Institute of Eco & Tech, Karachi Mr. Ayaz ul Hassan Khan, Asst. Prof., D/o Computer Sc., MAJU, Karachi Mr. Muhammad Mahrrof Khan, Asst. Prof., F/o Administrative Sciences AJK University Prof. Dr. Shahida Hasnain, Dean, F/o Life Sciences, U/o the Punjab, Lahore Mr. Imran Raza, Lecturer, D/o Computer Science, CIIT, Lahore Mr. Arshad Ali, Chairma n, D/o Management Sciences, U/o Malakand Dr. Fahim Uddin, Professor & Chairman, D/o Chemistry, U/o Karachi Mr. Ghulam Murtaza Arain, Ph.D Scholar, D/o High-Tech Central Resource Laboratory, U/o Sindh Jamshoro Ms Amber Rehana Solangi, Research Officer/Lecturer, NCE in Analytical Chemistry, U/o Sindh Jamshoro Ms Arfana Mallah, Lecturer, I/o Chemistry, U/o Sindh, Jamshoro Ms Sobia Baig, PhD Scholar, F/o Electronic Engg., GIKI, Topi, Mr. Shakeel Ahmad, Asst. Prof., I/o Computing & IT, Gomal University, D. I. Khan Dr. Dileep K. Rohra, Assoct Prof., D/o Biological & Biomedical Sciences, Aga Khan University, Karachi Mr. Zaheer Abbas, Ph D Scholar, D/o Business Administration, MAJU, Islamabad Dr. Waseem Akram, Associate Prof., D/o Agri-Entomology, U/o Agriculture, Faisalabad Mr. Zeeshan Alam Nayyar, Lecturer, D/o Applied Physics, U/o Karachi Prof. Dr. Nasrullah Khan, D/o Electrical Engg., CIIT, Islamabad Title of Conference Morocco Date(s) of Conference 14-16.03.2007 Recommended grant in PKR 97,750 France 14-16.03.2007 119,340 Cairo 15-18.03.2007 96,210 London 16-17.03.2007 82,930 Egypt 18-20.03.2007 80,000 Hong Kong 21-23.03.2007 122,025 USA 25-28.03.2007 165,700 7 Int’l Conference & Exhibition on Chemistry and Industry 7th Int’l Conference & Exhibition on Chemistry and Industry Bahrain 26-28.03.2007 72,090 Bahrain 26-28.03.2007 67,400 7th Int’l Conference & Exhibition on Chemistry and Industry Bahrain 26-28.03.2007 72,400 7th Int’l Conference & Exhibition on Chemistry and Industry IEEE Int’l. Symposium on Power Line Asia Modeling Symposium 2007 Bahrain 26-28.03.2007 73,000 Italy 26-28.03.2007 107,180 Thailand 27-30..03.2007 101,900 Turkey 29-31.03.2007 120,710 Australia 1-4.04.2007 162,400 USA 1-5.04.2007 181,240 Thailand 2-4.04.2007 103,460 Thailand 2-4.04.2007 109,400 1st Int’l Conference on Physics & Technology of Rectors Int’l Conference on Internet & Multimedia System 3rd Int’l Conference on Intelligent Computing and Information System Representation of 9/11 Conference 12th Conference on Microbiology Int’l Multi Conference of Engineers and Computer Scientists 2007 SAM International Busines Conference th 4th Int’l Symposium on Diabetes and Pregnancy th 14 Global Finance Conference 73rd American Mosquito Control Association Annual Meeting 3rd Int’l Conference on Energy and Power System IASTED Asian Conference: Asia PES 2007 31 Venue Name & Address of applicant Mr. Muhammad Saleem, PhD Scholar, Centre for Advanced Studies in Engg., U/o Engg. & Technology, Taxila Dr. Shaukat Iqbal Malik, Asso. Prof. D/o Biotech. & Informatics, BUITMS, Quetta Ms Syedah Zahra Atiq, Research Associate, D/o Computer Science, Lahore University of Management Sciences, Lahore Ms Adila Rani, Scientific Officer, Materials Science Research Centre Mr. Nisar Ahmad Jamil, Associate Professor, D/o Fibre Technology, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad Dr. S. M. Saqlain Naqvi, Associate Prof. Biochemistry, Arid Agriculture Univ.Rawalpindi Title of Conference Evo 2007 Venue Spain 2007 APQN Conference & AGM Malaysia UKCBR 2006 + AL-2006 UK To persue PhD Studies Australia 2nd International Conference of Applied Research on Textile International Symposium 2006 Tunisia Date(s) of Conference 11-13.04.2007 Recommended grant in PKR 113,750 4-7.02.2007 101,200 11-13.12.2006 125,005 40,000 30 Nov2.12.2006 Sri Lanka 12,000 12,655 GRANTS TO ORGANIZE SEMINARS Name & Address of applicant Dr. Nadeem ul Haque, Director Pakistan Development Economics Prof. Dr. Muhammad Zafarullah, Director, I/o Management Sciences, BZU, Multan Prof. Dr. Mira Phailbus, Principal, Kinnairad College for Women, Lahore Mr. Zahir Ali, Chairman, D/o Biotechnology, U/o Malakand Title of Conference Venue 22nd Annual General Meeting and Conference of Pakistan Society Development Economists Semester System of Education: Challenges & Prospects Wiscomp Women Insecurity Conflict Management & Peace 1st National Symposium on Biotechnology: Recent Advances Ms Samra M. Khan, Director, Folk and Traditional Sources: D/o Theatre, National College of Arts, Towards Contemporary Rawalpindi Pakistani Theatre Dr. Anjum Halai, Head, Research & Teacher Status Policy Studies Unit, AKU-IED, Aga Khan Univ. Karachi Prof. Dr. Muhammad Sarwar, Int’l Nutrition Conference Director, I/o Animal Nutrition & Feed 2007 Technology, U/o Agriculture, Faisalabad 3rd Annual Symposium of Prof. Zaman Shaikh, Chairman Organizing Committee, Dow Dow University of Health University of Health Sciences, Sciences Karachi th 27 Pakistan Congress of Prof. Dr. Abdul Rauf Shakoori, President ZSP, School of Biological Zoology (International) Sc. U/o the Punjab, Lahore Prof. Dr. Parveen Shah, Director, I/o Legal Status of Women Women Development Studies, U/o (International Women's Day) Sindh, Jamshoro 32 Lahore Date(s) of Conference 19-1.12.2006 Recommended grant in PKR 450,000 Multan 24-25.1.2007 125,000 Lahore 15-9.02.2007 100,000 Malakand 20-23.2.2007 300,000 Rawalpindi 21-4.02.2007 390,000 Karachi 22-23.2.2007 260,000 Faisalabad 23-24.2.2007 450,000 Karachi 23-6.02.2007 888,000 Multan 27 Feb. to 1 March, 2007 500,000 Jamshoro 08.03.2007 150,000 Name & Address of applicant Prof. Dr. Abdul Hameed, Professor, D/o Microbiology, QAU, Islamabad Dr. Mian Aftab Ahmad, Chairman, D/o Psychology & Applied Psychology, U/o the Punjab, Lahore Dr. Mian Aftab Ahmad, Chairman, D/o Psychology & Applied Psychology, U/o the Punjab, Lahore Title of Conference Venue Date(s) of Conference 18-1.03.2007 Recommended grant in PKR 1,197,500 6th Intel Biennial Conference of Pakistan Society for Microbiology New Trends in Psychological Research Islamabad Lahore 6-7.4.2007 0 International Conference on Psychosocial Factors Affecting Extemism. Lahore 6-8.12.2007 0 CDWP Approved Projects Following projects were approved in the recent meeting of Central Development Working Party (CDWP) held in April, 2007: Project: Post Earthquake Development Plan for Hazara University Capital Cost: Rs. 340.337 million Project: Dairy Training and Development at University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Lahore Capital Cost: Rs. 109.815 million Project: Strengthening of Library Facilities at Islamia University, Bahawalpur Capital Cost: Rs. 99.430 million Project: Strengthening and Up-gradation of the Institute of Food Sciences and Technology, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad Capital Cost: Rs. 169.850 million Project: Establishment of BZU College of Textile Engineering Capital Cost: Rs. 248.965 million Project: External Development of Land (356 Acres) in Sector H12 at Islamabad for NUST (Phase-IV) Capital Cost: Rs. 299.365 million A group of senior students from the College of Agriculture and Marine Sciences of the Sultan Qaboos University (SQU) gave a detailed presentation of their recent study tour of Pakistan at Faculty Club of the University in Muscat. Mr. Javed Hafiz, Pakistan's Ambassador was the chief guest. He was accompanied by Dr. Ali Al Bimani, Deputy Vice-Chancellor of the SQU and other leading officials of the university management. Apart from getting first-hand experience of Pakistan's agricultural successes, the students had also met some top officials including Governor of Punjab Lt. Gen. (R) Khalid Maqbool. They also visited the offices of Pak-Oman Development Bank in Karachi. 33 Higher Education Commission Universities of Engineering, Sciences and Technology of Pakistan-Technology Park Appointment of Project Coordinators The Higher Education Commission (HEC) is establishing universities in collaboration with foreign partners under the UESTP-Tech Park Programme. Work on three universities has started and is expected to begin shortly on the others. Classes are expected to start by 2009 on the main campus sites. The HEC is looking for four or more Project Coordinators for implementation of these Mega Projects. These will be senior management positions reporting directly to the Executive Director/Chairman, Higher Education Commission. The position holders will be responsible and accountable for: ? ? ? Developing and leading a project development team Tendering, contractor selection, award, and commissioning of the project; Liaison/coordination with relevant government organizations to get all approvals/consents Coordination, implementation and monitoring of all contract agreements; General project planning and management in Pakistan in consultation with foreign partner universities Candidate's Profile: ? ? ? ? ? Should have a university degree in a branch of Engineering and/or Masters in Business Administration or similar qualification from a reputable University Managerial experience in large projects Knowledge of technical, operational, commercial and contractual aspects of project implementation and modern computer assisted management techniques Should have strong interpersonal and communication skills and be motivated and focused on project details Age limit is 60 years, relaxable subject to physical fitness HEC is an equal opportunity employer and offers a conducive work environment, average salary of Rs. 200,000/- per month plus fringe benefits. Interested candidates should send their detailed resume along with a recent passport size photograph latest by June 5, 2007. Only short-listed candidates will be contacted. Apply to: Ahmer Rafi Senior Project Manager Higher Education Commission UEST Programme, 368-D, Street No. 26 Sector 1-8/2, Islamabad Phone: 051-9235443; Fax: 051-9259047 E-mail: arafi@hec.gov.pk 34 Announcements Foreign Scholarships from UNESCO-L'Oreal For Short-term PhD Research Network in Life Sciences Higher Education Commission invites applications from bright Pakistani/AJK nationals, possessing very good standing/grades, for award of UNESCO-L'OreaL scholarships. Eligibility Criteria: ? ? ? ? ? ? ? Only Female Candidates born after 01-01-1973 Enrolment n PhD programmes in local HEC recognized institutions (programmes may be HEC sponsored or through any other funding source) PhD course work should be completed (proof is required) PhD research proposal must be approved by the authorized forum of their existing university (proof is required) GRE International (obtained after 30-06-2005) OR NTS-HEC scholarship test score (equal to or above 50), obtained after 30-06-2006 a placement in world renowned university/laboratory, preferably in an advanced country (proof of host institution's letter of acceptance is required where PhD research work will be carried out) Proposed Field of Study: Life Sciences (Biology, Bio-Chemistry, Bio- Technology and Physiology) Number of Scholarships: Four (04) Duration of Scholarship: ? ? Phase-I: 12 months (starting from 1st March, 2008 to 1st March, 2009) Phase-II: 12 months (optional) General Instructions: Kindly visit our website. www.hec.gov.pk/unesco to get information on: A. b. c. d. 1. 2. 3. 4. Eligibility Criteria set by funding agency Download Application Form (4* UNESCO- L'Oreal, application forms and 1* HEC application form) How to send your Application Form Documents to be attached with the application form Attach an original Bank Draft of Rs. 200/- (nonrefundable, as processing fee), drawn in favour of DG (Finance), HEC, along with your application form (mandatory) Applicants will have to give undertaking to HEC, that after completion of their studies they will serve in Pakistan for a period equivalent to their sponsored duration of studies abroad Incomplete application forms will summarily be rejected Completely filled application form should reach the HEC on or before 30-06-2007 on the address given below: Rezwana Siddiqui Project Director (FFSP/UNESCO) E-mail: ffsp@hec.gov.pk Higher Education Commission Sector H-9, Islamabad 35 Announcements Scholarships for General Medicine Studies in Cuba for Session 2007 (Batch-II) Who can apply? All Pakistani/AJK nationals- attaining age between 17-25 year as on closing date of the advertisement -who have obtained at least 60 per cent marks in FSc/A-level (Pre-Medical), are eligible to apply. Scholarship Details Language All students will be required to learn Spanish language and undergo one-year language training programme in Cuba Programme Regular Graduate Programmes in General Comprehensive Medicine (equivalent to MBBS), spread over a period of five years, subject to successful completion of Spanish language course Funding Programme is fully funded by the Republic of Cuba and the Government of Pakistan How to apply 1. Download application form available at HEC website (www.hec.gov.pk/cuba) 2. Type or fill the application form using black ink and CAPITAL LETTERS 3. Attach attested photocopies of following documents with your application form: ? ? ? ? ? ? ? SSC/O-level certificate(Science Group) FSc/A-level certificate (Pre-Medical) Computerized NIC or B-Form, whichever is applicable Domicile Certificate Father's computerized national identity card and domicile certificate Four attested passport size recent photographs Original Pay Order /Bank Draft or Postal Order for Rs. 200/- (non refundable, as processing fee), drawn in favour of DG (Finance), Higher Education Commission, Islamabad (Photocopy of the pay order will not be acceptable) Closing Date of Advertisement Send the filled application form duly completed in all respect along with attested copies of all testimonials and original bank draft/postal order on or before Saturday, 9th June 2007 during office hours to the address given below. Important Note ? Selection will be based on merit, using the following merit formula and observing regional quota as prescribed by the Government of Pakistan Merit Formula = 0.3 * % in SSC + 0.7 *% in HSC ? Quota seats will be filled on the basis of domicile ? O-level/A-level applicants have to provide equivalence and proof of grades/percentage from IBCC (Mandatory) ? Those who have previously applied for Batch-I under the scheme mentioned are required to apply again ? List of selected candidates will be declared on HEC website: www.hec.gov.pk/cuba Closing Date Saturday, June 9, 2007 (during office hours) Project Director HRD Division E-mail: cuba@hec.gov.pk Phone: 051-9080252, 9080266 Higher Education Commission Sector H-9, Islamabad 36