Education Minister Rana Sikandar Hayat inaugurates two-day Health conference

Staff Report 

LAHORE, August 16, 2026: Punjab Minister for Higher Education Rana Sikandar Hayat inaugurated the two-day Interdisciplinary Research Conference on One Health (IRCOH 2026) at the University of Education (UE), Lahore, bringing together 32 Vice Chancellors, 200–250 participants, international researchers and experts to advance collaborative approaches to human, animal and environmental health.

The conference was presided over by Vice Chancellor Prof. Dr. Aqif Anwar Chaudhry, with Prof. Dr. Shagufta Andaleeb, Director, Division of Science and Technology, serving as Conference Chair. The participation of Vice Chancellors from 32 universities made IRCOH 2026 a significant national gathering of higher education leadership.
The inauguration was followed by a meeting of the Pakistan One Health Universities Network (PAKOHUN), where university leaders discussed communication and capacity-building strategies, knowledge sharing and joint ventures among universities from all provinces to improve human and animal health. The discussion was led by Dr. Ihtisham ur Rehman, University of Lancashire.

The conference features 42 research papers, three foreign presenters and three international keynote speakers, with participation from seven countries — France, Brazil, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, Saudi Arabia and China. UE Directors, Principals, faculty, officers and students are participating alongside national and international researchers.
The international and national experts bring multidisciplinary expertise in biotechnology, marine sciences, engineering, cardiology, cognitive neuroscience and AI, dental biomaterials, veterinary sciences, genomics, microbiology, cancer research, radiopharmacy, medical physics, infectious diseases, public health and biomedical materials, representing leading institutions in Pakistan and abroad.

During his visit, Minister Rana Sikandar Hayat also inaugurated the UE Business Incubation Centre (UE-BIC), strengthening the University’s ecosystem for entrepreneurship, innovation, research commercialization and development of sustainable ventures.
Addressing the gathering, the Minister said public-sector universities were performing well and contributing significantly to Punjab’s higher education landscape. He appreciated UE’s leadership for institutional transformation and described its performance as a benchmark for public-sector universities in the province.
Speaking at the conference, Vice Chancellor Prof. Dr. Aqif Anwar Chaudhry highlighted UE’s expanding research and innovation ecosystem, including the launch of its own Research Grant Programme, three policies to strengthen academia-industry linkages, and intellectual property achievements comprising seven patent filings and six trademarks.

The Vice Chancellor said UE’s transformation builds on its educational heritage dating back to the 1880s, while positioning the University as a major STEAM laboratory for multidisciplinary education, research, innovation and experimentation.

IRCOH 2026 reflects UE’s strategy of connecting research, innovation, entrepreneurship and academia-industry collaboration with real-world challenges. By bringing together university leadership, researchers and international experts, the conference seeks to convert interdisciplinary knowledge into collaborative research, innovation and practical solutions for a healthier and more sustainable future.