FJWU leads strategic workshop to elevate Pakistani universities to global standards

RAWALPINDI, Sep 10 (APP): Fatima Jinnah Women University (FJWU) hosted a landmark ‘Capacity Building Workshop’ under the Excellence in Higher Education collaborative project, aiming to align Pakistani universities with international academic standards. Led by renowned academic Prof. Dr. Rahat Munir, Head of the Department of Accounting and Corporate Governance at Macquarie Business School, Macquarie University, Australia, and Chairperson of the Chairs of Accounting and Finance (CAFF) Schools across Australia and New Zealand, the workshop centered on strengthening quality assurance, achieving international accreditation, improving university rankings, and enhancing teaching practices, academic programs, and student services.
Dr. Rahat Munir, widely recognized for his pioneering contributions in curriculum development, innovative teaching methodologies, and industry-academia collaboration, is also a member of the Education Board of Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand. He emphasized the urgent need for Pakistani universities to adopt innovative and globally aligned approaches to education and research to meet future demands. He stressed that traditional education systems must evolve, especially in the era of artificial intelligence (AI) and technological advancements, to produce graduates who are competitive at an international level.
He urged universities to prepare students for future jobs, many of which do not yet exist, calling on Vice Chancellors and faculty to serve as catalysts for transformation. He advocated for a flexible, forward-thinking education system that can adapt to rapidly changing global, economic, and social realities.
The workshop drew senior academic leadership and policymakers, including Prof. Dr. Iqrar Ahmad Khan (HI), Chairperson of the Punjab Higher Education Commission (PHEC); Ghulam Farid, Secretary of the Higher Education Department (HED) Punjab; Zahida Azher, Additional Secretary HED; Prof. Dr. Muhammad Ali (TI), Vice Chancellor of the University of the Punjab; and Prof. Dr. Muhammad Omer Chaudhary, Vice Chancellor of Government College (GC) University Lahore.
In her address, Prof. Dr. Bushra Mirza (TI), Vice Chancellor of FJWU, stressed the importance of moving away from traditional teaching methods toward modern, globally relevant educational approaches.
“We must prepare graduates for future jobs, many of which don’t exist today. This demands a shift in mindset, with VCs, faculty, and academic leaders driving change,” she stated, reaffirming FJWU’s commitment to aligning its academic programs with international standards while fostering innovation, creativity, and critical thinking among students.
She also highlighted the vital role of financial investment in achieving academic excellence.
“If you want universities to generate economic value, you must invest in them, because money generates money, and knowledge generates knowledge,” she remarked.
Prof. Dr. Bushra Mirza expressed her gratitude to Dr. Rahat Munir for his insightful and forward-thinking contributions, and to the Punjab Higher Education Minister for selecting FJWU as a pilot institution for this transformative initiative.
The participating Vice Chancellors also addressed the financial constraints facing higher education institutions in Pakistan. While acknowledging the global success of Pakistani graduates, they emphasized that insufficient funding continues to hinder progress. The VCs appreciated Dr. Munir’s deep insights into Western education models and urged both HEC and PHEC to significantly increase funding to enable Pakistani universities to meet global benchmarks.
All distinguished guests commended FJWU’s initiative in bringing global academic experts to share best practices. They unanimously recognized the workshop as a crucial step toward elevating academic quality, promoting impactful research, and globally positioning Pakistani universities.
FJWU spokesperson Prof. Dr. Sadia Nauman informed APP that three universities, FJWU, the University of the Punjab, and GC University, have been selected for the Higher Education Collaborative Project.
“This significant pilot project aims to bring at least 10 Pakistani universities into top international rankings by equipping them with the essential attributes of globally ranked institutions, such as those in the QS World University Rankings and Times Higher Education,” she said.
She further shared that FJWU’s core team, including Deans, the Director of QEC, Director of ORIC, Dr. Bushra Yasmin, Dr. Nargis, and Dr. Farooq, will be spearheading the project. The team will focus on key areas including International Accreditation, Global Rankings, and the Assurance of Learning Process.