Merit In Appointments, Admissions To Make AJK Universities Competitive: AJK President

President Azad Jammu and Kashmir Sardar Masood Khan Friday said strict adherence to merit in appointments and admissions would be ensured to make AJK universities competitive

ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 19th Jan, 2018 ) :President Azad Jammu and Kashmir Sardar Masood Khan Friday said strict adherence to merit in appointments and admissions would be ensured to make AJK universities competitive.

Chairing the Syndicate Meeting of Azad Jammu and Kashmir University, Muzaffarabad held here at Kashmir House, Islamabad, he said universities in Azad Kashmir will be established as centres of excellence, enabling to compete with higher education institutions both regionally and globally.

The president of AJK, who is also the chancellor of AJK public sector universities, expressed his desire in upholding the highest standards of merit and transparency, especially in the appointment of faculty, management and admission of students in universities.

He said after ensuring the highest academic standards the AJK's universities will explore new avenues for collaborations with international universities. Universities of Azad Kashmir will establish partnerships with international universities for student exchange programmes including split degree courses and post-doctorate research, he said.

Sardar Masood urged that it is necessary for fostering a culture of collaboration between universities and industry.

He urged that with various dominant sectors shaping the future markets of AJK, it is imperative to build an early interface between the curricula and skill sets of the educational institutions with the existing and emerging markets helping make skills taught at schools and colleges more compatible with the workplaces.

The universities of Azad Kashmir, the president said, are investing in post-modern disciplines like biotechnology, nanotechnology, advanced IT degrees, project and corporate management, logistics, tourism and hydraulic engineering in order to cater to the changing economic and industrial landscape of Pakistan and AJK, especially in light of the projects initiated under the China Pakistan Economic Corridor.

The meeting was attended by Prof Dr Kaleem Abbasi, Vice Chancellor of AJK University Muzaffarabad, Prof Dr Muhammad Iqbal Zafar, Vice Chancellor Agriculture University Faisalabad, Shahid Mohi-ud-Din, Secretary Higher Education of AJK, Ghulam Bhatti, nominee Chairman of HEC, representatives of the government of Pakistan, senior faculty of AJK university and other eminent members of the syndicate board.