Research key to development: Jhagra

PESHAWAR: Governor Iqbal Zafar Jhagra said on Saturday that he was pleased to know that Khyber Medical University (KMU) had eight constituent and 35 affiliated institutes imparting quality education to thousands of students.

He was addressing the inaugural ceremony of three-day International Conference on Medical Education organised jointly by KMU and Association for Excellence in Medical Education (AEME) here. 

Praising ?the faculty and institutes for their hard work, the governor said they are providing a wide range of services ranging from undergraduate training of students of medical, nursing, paramedics, physiotherapy and postgraduate education through Masters, MPhil and PhD programmes in various disciplines.

Beside others, KMU Vice-Chancellor Dr Hafizullah, University of Health Sciences Lahore Vice-Chancellor Prof Mohammad Aslam, Iqra University Hyderabad Vice-Chancellor Prof Ghulam Qadir Qazi, Aga Khan University Karachi Rector Prof Farhat Abbas, Khalid Masood Gondal and others were present on the occasion.

Iqbal Zafar Jhagra said research was the vehicle of positive change. “The gap between the developed and developing nations is widening because of progress on one side and stagnation on the other side,” he said. He added that ?as a result of the gap across the divide had led to imbalance as the issues faced by the developing countries were no more research priorities of the developed nations. “I fully endorse the theme of the conference titled standardising medical education: a national agenda,” the governor said.

He said he was pleased that KMU had taken this initiative in providing an opportunity to teachers to learn basic knowledge about communication skills and the use of information technology in teaching.

The governor said the conference provided a platform for dialogue on issues and challenges of standardising medical education.

Iqbal Zafar Jhagra said that he felt excited and energised by the presence of so many intellectuals and scholars. 

He hoped that the vice-chancellor and other key officers of KMU would leave no stone unturned to make KMU one of the top medical universities in Pakistan. “Looking at its achievements in the last eight years, I hope it will become the beacon of light for others,” he added.

Earlier delivering welcome address, Dr Hafizullah highlighted the achievements made by KMU in the last eight years and said that with eight constituent and 35 affiliated institutes it was growing day by day. He said that organising the fifth International AEME conference was another feather in the cap of KMU. 

He elaborated that KMU was moving in right direction and was working on research and reform agenda in various disciplines.