MoU signed linking academia with policy

Islamabad:Minister of State for Education and Professional Training Qamar has said that the relevance of education today lies in its connection with the real-world challenges, and “to move from ideas to impact, we need broader partnerships.”

Ms Wajiha was speaking as chief guest at the signing here of Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between Sustainable Development Policy Institute (SDPI) and Allama Iqbal Open University (AIOU).

Both sides made the commitment to institutionalize their ongoing efforts and expand the scope of research, student development programmes, and policy integration. The MoU signing ceremony, held at the AIOU campus, was also attended by AIOU Vice-Chancellor Dr Nasir Mahmood, and SDPI Executive Director Dr Abid Qaiyum Suleri along with their respective faculty members.

The Minister said that universities are more than the teaching institutions, so they must perform as the incubators of ideas and innovation. She noted that the collaboration within the government’s “URAAN Pakistan” initiative supports smarter institutions and faster learning cycles aligned with Pakistan’s development priorities.

She outlined practical directions for the partnership particularly on support for interdisciplinary research to tackle complex national issues. She said that her Ministry would extend full support to both the institutions for further collaboration.