Islamabad, November-14 (DNA) . Allama Iqbal Open University organized one day workshop in collaboration with MindMark Limited (U.K) and Herdfordshire Career Accelerator (HCA) to enhance and promote critical thinking and research skills of the students and teachers.
Faculty members of various academic departments of the university participated in the workshop. The workshop inaugural session was chaired by the Vice Chancellor, AIOU, Prof. Dr. Zia Ul-Qayyum while the objectives of the workshop were shared by Dr Latif Ghondal, Executive Director, ORIC. While addressing the participants of the workshop, Prof. Dr. Zia Ul-Qayyum said, “Bridging the gap between university education and industrial sector’s needs is a prerequisite to bring industrial revolution in the country.” He, further, said that though bridging this gap is the greatest challenge for the education sector in Pakistan but without facing it we would not be able to attain self sufficiency in technological industry. The present scenario demands university education to be oriented to developing and strengthening industrial skills in the students. Moreover, the industrialists of the country need to collaborate and cooperate with university teachers, research institutions and researchers to harmonize university education and industrial sector’s needs. On the other hand, universities are also required to direct their research to strengthening industrial sector in the country.
Director HCA, Dr Shahina Waheed, also addressed the participants on this occasion. She said that as the world has now turned into a global village, therefore, universities need to critically develop scientific and research skills of the students in such a way that they can compete for international job market economy. She stressed on the need of developing syllabus in accordance with the future needs of the country. Asif Raja, Chief Executive Officer of MindMark Limited (U.K) said that general education should be replaced with smart education to face the current economical and industrial challenges. The participants of the workshop discussed various academic and research issues with the resource persons and thanked the organizers for the wonderful training sessions.
