By Ali Arshad and Nauman Shafiq
LAHORE: University of Engineering and Technology Vice Chancellor has said CPEC is an important and one of the bigger projects for engineers and IT experts, and that UET is linked with many Chinese universities under this project.
First thing resources and the global village we are talking about and especially when we talk about engineering and technology, it is very easy to get settle in Europe in foreign universities. Scholarships, welfare funds, availability of funds for higher education and other many things which are constituent of our policy making.
The Educationist: What about HEC scholarship funds?
Dr. Fazal Ahmed Khalid: But recent times, provision of funds is much greater via HEC scholarship funds for most of governmental operating universities. We have geared up scholarships and concluded this project within a shortest time. Our faculty members and those who got selected in faculty scholarship program went outside and accomplished their PhD. Demand of young faculty is emerging. We are thinking for faculty development in Narowal as we have done in Faisalabad and RCET.
The Educationist: What opportunities are available for students’ innovative work?
Dr. Fazal Ahmed Khalid: Students can make bigger proposals for funding and we are customizing our labs on greater level. We shall start their startup projects, final year projects, commercialization and earn revenue and shall invest it for commercialization. Young researchers, PhD faculty members and other young members from abroad would be facilitated.
The Educationist: Do UET students publish their research work globally?
Dr. Fazal Ahmed Khalid: Students from various departments like mechatronics, chemical, metallurgy etc are urged to publish their research work in global generals with a huge impact factor so that we may value our academic research globally.
When your quality of research is acknowledged globally then you are able to do R&D projects in a best way. We are opting for Management Trainee-programs in liaison with Chinese companies and matter for managerial training is under consideration.
The Educationist: In Pakistan every second children wants to become engineer. You get best of the best resource form colleges. Why we are so dependent on foreign engineers for mega projects?
Dr. Fazal Ahmed Khalid: I agree with your statement to some extent that our students go preferentially for medical or engineering as professional studies. But our educational budget don’t have as much allocation for its promotion as it should be. Lots of programs are initiated in defense sector via engineers’ scientists which are greatly from UET. Then look for two or three VCs of LUMS. They were engineers and they are successfully running, alumni from UET. Much of our graduates are in government offices as secretary, defense sector.
The second thing that is typically most challenging, I think in civil sector industrialization didn’t grow much cause of economic crisis. In CPEC, engineers are playing vital role and in recent years that gap which has been piled up would be filled up in recent years in cooperation with Chinese organizations. Our capacity building is quite important. Our university is linked with many Chinese universities under CPEC. Our university is also working with high concern for the Safe City Project.