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FAISALABAD, Nov 12 (APP):Government College Women University Faisalabad (GCWUF) Vice Chancellor Prof Dr Kanwal Amin said on Wednesday that holistic grooming of university graduates was imperative to harness their qualities to successfully brace the emerging challenges despite fast changing curricula and general circumstances in Pakistan across the globe.
During a meeting with Faisalabad Chamber of Commerce & Industry (FCCI) President Farooq Yousaf Sheikh, she discussed issues to enhance industry-academia relations to give a gear up innovation, creativity and out-of-the-box solutions in addition to developing relevance between industrial sector and passed-out university graduates.
Commenting on social evolution, she said that many professions had become obsolete with the addition of artificial intelligence (AI), but we must equip the younger generation with capabilities to exploit AI in addition to keeping intact their creativity and critical thinking.
“What we are teaching today may become irrelevant in the next six months; therefore, students must be prepared to effectively face the emerging challenges of every new era”, she remarked.
The GCWUF VC emphasized strengthening industry-academia linkages, stating that a Business Incubation Center had been established at the university, and the ORIC (Office of Research, Innovation, and Commercialization) had also been activated.
She mentioned that the FCCI President was an ex-officio member of the ORIC committee; however, she proposed that before sending university interns, industry representatives should hold special orientation sessions for students to brief them about their facilities and requirements.
“This would help students in identifying their professional direction for the future”, she added.
Dr Kanwal Amin further said that small industrial units often cannot afford to hire professional researchers, but they could utilize university interns to conduct research on their industrial issues.
She stressed the importance of research aligned with the needs of local industries and suggested that through the FCCI, the coordination between universities and industries should be strengthened.
“This will not only provide industries with a skilled workforce according to their requirements but also keep them informed about the latest academic research being carried out in higher education institutions”, she said.
Speaking on the occasion, FCCI President Farooq Yousaf Sheikh appreciated the Vice Chancellor’s positive vision and said that as a nation, we must rise above personal considerations to transform educated students into good human beings with high moral values.
He said that he would discuss the formulation of long-term policies with the head of the FCCI’s Standing Committee on Industry-Academia Collaboration so that the initiatives introduced during his tenure could be sustained in the future as well.
Sheikh also announced that he would hold another meeting with Prof. Dr. Kanwal Amin to finalize decisions for enhanced mutual cooperation between the FCCI and GCWUF.
Later, president Farooq Yousaf Sheikh presented the FCCI’s honorary shield and souvenirs to Vice Chancellor Prof. Dr. Kanwal Amin.
Senior Vice President Naveed Akram Sheikh, Vice President Engr Asim Munir, Abdullah Qadri, and Muhammad Haroon Waheed were also present on the occasion.