HEC conference marks launch of CPEC Consortium of Business Schools

ISLAMABAD, Aug 30 (APP): The Higher Education Commission
(HEC), organised here a two-day conference in connection with the
launch of “CPEC Consortium of Business Schools” at the National
University of Sciences and Technology (NUST), Islamabad.
The Conference aimed at setting the course of academic
collaboration between Pakistan and China, a news release said on
Wednesday.
Federal Minister for Interior Prof Ahsan Iqbal was chief guest
in the closing ceremony while, Du Yubo, President, China Association
of Higher Education (CAHE), Dr. Arshad Ali, Executive Director HEC,
Lt. Gen. (R) Muhammad Asghar, Consultant (CPEC) were also present.
The Conference was attended by representatives of nine top-
ranking Chinese universities, including seven members of the C9
League, an alliance of nine elite universities in mainland China,
besides leadership of partner universities from Pakistan.
Speaking on the occasion, Ahsan Iqbal termed the CPEC
Consortium of Business Schools another step forward towards
successful execution of CPEC.
“China Pakistan Economic Corridor is start of a new era in the
region,” he said, adding that almost $ 36 billion of the CPEC
investment has been allocated for energy projects in Pakistan.
He said that CPEC also encompasses mega infrastructure
projects like Gwadar Port, and will help in structural
transformation of Pakistan’s economy.
Linking development of any country to political stability,
social security, and integrated policies, the Minister said China is
a role model for Pakistan to make economic progress.
“Economic miracle is no rocket science, it is a common sense
that we need to learn from China,” he underlined. He stressed the
need for developing new capabilities to become competitive in the
world.
The Minister elaborated that business schools will have a
very vital role in promoting business-to-business relations between
Pakistan and China. He said the platform of this Consortium will be
very useful for this purpose. He reiterated Government’s resolve to
make Pakistan an Asian Tiger by 2025.
Describing the significance of Consortium, Mr. DU Yubo said
scholars from nine leading Chinese universities jointly with
representatives of 10 Pakistani institutions will pave the way for
extensive collaboration between Pakistan and China.
He said that owning the masses is the best way of functioning
a society, adding that Pakistan and China need to devise a strong
mechanism of communication.
He assured that CAHE will take all possible steps for
effective coordination. “The two sides have to gather all their
resources and mobilise professors and students to work for success
of CPEC,” he emphasised.
In his remarks, Dr. Arshad Ali said incorporating human
resource development in CPEC is a big initiative for ensuring
success of all the development projects. He hoped that the
Consortium will set a ground for enhanced academic collaboration.
The Executive Director appreciated the Government, CAHE and
other stakeholders for their support to materialise the idea of
forming a Consortium to bring business school leaders on a single
platform.
Earlier, Lt. Gen. (R) Muhammad Asghar announced a joint
declaration adopted in the conference. He said the conference
contained talks on issues pertaining to CPEC in addition to various
interactive sessions. He revealed that seven areas are being focused
under the long-term plan devised to integrate economies of the two
countries under CPEC.
These areas, he said, include connectivity, energy, industries
and industrial parks, agriculture and food security, development of
coastal region and marine resources, improvement in livelihood of
people, and financial cooperation and border management.
CPEC Consortium of Business Schools of the two countries will
focus on issues of economics and management. The business schools
will be assigned projects to assist the two governments in the
development and operation of CPEC.
Chinese institutions in the Consortium include Fudan
University, Shanghai; Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong;
Nanjing University, Nanjing; Peking University, Beijing; Shanghai
Jiao Tong University, Shanghai; Tsinghua University, Beijing;
University of Science & Technology of China, Hefei; and Zhejiang
University, Hangzhou have shown their willingness to join the
consortium as founding members.
While from Pakistan the institutions include Balochistan
University of Information Technology, Engineering and Management
Sciences (BUITEMS), Quetta; COMSATS Institute of Information
Technology, Islamabad; Institute of Business Administration (IBA),
Karachi; Institute of Management Sciences (IMS), Peshawar; Lahore
University of Management Sciences (LUMS), Lahore; National
University of Sciences and Technology (NUST), Islamabad; Pakistan
Institute of Development Economics (PIDE), Islamabad; and University
of the Punjab, Lahore.