QAU Extends Rs 150 Mln Fee Relief To Flood-hit Areas Students

ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 27th Sep, 2022 ) :Quaid-e-Azam University (QAU) Vice Chancellor Dr Muhammad Ali on Tuesday said the university, realizing the sufferings of flood-hit areas' students, had extended Rs 150 million relief to them by exempting their one semester fee and hostel charges.

"The amount of this tuition and hostel fee exemption will be borne by the university itself, while a committee has also been constituted to ensure that the deserving students are benefitted in a transparent manner," Dr Muhammad Ali said in an interview with APP.

He said the university administration considered it its social obligation to facilitate the students of flood-affected areas. "We realize that the unprecedented floods have caused huge financial losses to the parents and this exemption is the university's gesture that the students are not let alone in the hour of trial." The vice chancellor said the management was cognizant to the developments in the world that was why the university was being transformed into a modern entity by introducing the latest education and technology.

In the first step, he said, a cyber security related programme would be launched, which would make the students abreast with the ways and techniques to safeguard the data loss and theft. A memorandum of understanding had been signed with a private organization in that regard.

Similarly, a masters' programme on artificial intelligence, on which the entire future development of a country would depend, was also being introduced during the current year, he added.

Dr Muhammad Ali said the Qatari Foundation Sheikha Moza had concurred with the management's request for constructing the building of the Law school.

He said with the support of Turkiye, a modern incubation center had already been set up, which was imparting training to students for establishing their own information technology based companies or businesses.

For the students it would be mandatory to form a company to claim their degrees to link the academia with the industry.

A facilitation center, along with the Science and Technology Park had already been built for the students to hone their academic skills, he added.

Replying to a question regarding the differently abled persons, the VC said the university had fully implemented 2 percent government quota for the disabled staff, while such students were enjoying exemptions on academic and hostel fees.

Similarly, relevant facilities meant for the disabled, including wheelchairs and separate washrooms, were also available, he added.

To another query about his future endeavours, Dr Muhammad Ali said with the help of government, he had a plan to start mass communication, and arts & culture programmes.

Dr Muhammad Ali noted the QAU had signed various agreements with different organizations in the country for academia-industry linkage to ensure employment opportunities for its students. Likewise, arrangements had been made with international academic institutions to raise the standard of education and research work opportunities for the teaching faculties.

As regards the issues relating to affiliated colleges, he said the university was planning training programmes for teachers' capacity building and to improve quality of education there.

About land encroachment problem, the VC said some 300 acres of land had been retrieved in last four years, while over 400 acres was still under illegal occupation of several mafias, which were also creating drugs and security related problems.

He said the university was in deficit of Rs 550 million out of total outlay of Rs 4.5 billion. "My goal is to bring it to zero deficit," he pledged.