Female VCs unite for gender equality

Islamabad : All-Pakistan Women Universities Consortium (APWUC) organised the first conference on women in leadership in collaboration with HEC and British Council, Pakistan.

To celebrate International Women's Day, the All-Pakistan Women Universities Consortium (APWUC) organised the first All Pakistan Women Universities Conference on Women and Leadership with the support of the Higher Education Commission (HEC) and British Council.

The conference aimed to devise ways to achieve gender equality and women's empowerment in Pakistan. Female vice chancellors from all seven member universities, including FJWU; Govt College Women University, Faisalabad; Lahore College for Women University; Government College Women University, Sialkot; Shaheed Benazir Bhutto University; Women University, Swabi; and Government Sadiq College Women University, Bahawalpur; jointly organised the event.

In her opening remarks, Dr. Saima Hamid, vice chancellor, FJWU, proposed a four-point agenda for the consortium, including focusing on sustainability, participatory approaches, identifying priority areas, and establishing clear structures for effective strategy building.

Dr. Irene Tracy, vice chancellor, University of Oxford, congratulated the female vice chancellors and informed about the measures they are taking in the UK to support British women.

Dr. Rubina Farooq, vice chancellor, Government College Women University, Faisalabad, stressed on increasing women's visibility on all important platforms to support each other, while Dr. Bushra Mirza, vice chancellor, Lahore College for Women University, emphasised the importance of keeping one's ambitions high and fighting inner fears.

Dr. Rukhsana Kausar, VC, Govt College Women University, Sialkot, highlighted the need for a future roadmap in the form of specific universities and stressed that women are emotionally intelligent and can prove better managers, which they must utilise.

Dr. Safia Ahmad, VC, Shaheed Benazir Bhutto University, highlighted the need for a bio-based innovative economy and stressed the importance of university-industry collaboration to make research effective.

Dr. Shahana Urooj Kazmi, VC, Women University Swabi, emphasised the importance of entrepreneurship and putting universities on the path of innovation through business to support the national economy.

Dr. Saiqa Imtiaz Asif, VC, Govt Sadiq College Women University, pledged her full support for the consortium.

Dr Shahnaz Wazir Ali from university also addressed the gathering.

Dr. Kanwal from the Home Economics, stressed on the importance of building effective networks and collaborative team work to achieve the tasks at hand.