New VCvows to uplift UHS

LAHORE: University of Health Sciences (UHS) new Vice-Chancellor Prof Dr Javed Akram has said he wanted the varsity to be committed to excellence in both research and academics, to honour its role as the leading health sciences university, and to get rid of the image of being an “examining body” only.

Since assuming charge of VC, it was Prof Javed’s first address to the media personnel. He said the varsity should be the destination of choice for students and faculty as a place of education, of research and of policy.

“My prime focus would be making it research intensive. As a research university, UHS has a responsibility to make sure that its research is internationally excellent and nationally important”, he said adding that one must not shy away from ambition. He said currently around 100 research papers were being produced by the university scholars annually. He hoped to double the number of publications in coming years. “We’ll ensure our papers are published in high-index international journals”, he said.

Prof Akram said like other institutions, UHS was also facing issues regarding manpower. “We need to invest in young people. We must have both, the patience and the confidence to invest in people and ideas we know are right”, he emphasised.

The VC announced that all the contract employees of the university would be regularised. “If I fail to regularise them, I would rather resign from my post”, he said.

He further said that his first priority would be to get government support in setting up a state-of-the-art teaching hospital of the university. “We have land at Kala Shah Kaku, we have commitment and we desperately need a 1,500 bedded hospital where our student could be trained”, said the VC.

He also said that an international medical college would be established for Overseas Pakistanis. He said that almost all the key posts in the university had been lying vacant for quite some time that included positions of pro-vice chancellor, controller of examinations and treasurer. He said to smoothly run day-to-day affairs of the varsity, it was imperative to make regular appointments at the earliest.

Prof Javed hoped to foster a culture where the university people could reach their full potential, where excellence was cultivated, expected, understood and celebrated. “My aim is to keep UHS in forefront of medical education with even more creativity, innovation and flexibility”, he added. He said that new programmes at both postgraduate and undergraduate level would be launched besides strengthening the current academic courses.

Prof Javed also announced to raise the scholarship amount for MPhil scholars from Rs10,000 to Rs30,000 per month. He said besides updating varsity’s official website and making it user friendly, he intended to develop an android application of university to facilitate students as well as public. He also announced that university employees would donate their one-day salary and he himself would donate one month salary to Diamer Bhasha and Mohmand Dam fund. “We want to ensure UHS is a magnet for every young medical or dental graduate, no matter where they are from, to come here and study.