AIOU signs agreement to provide academic support to CPEC

Islamabad : Allama Iqbal Open University (AIOU) and Guangxi Institute of Administration, Beijing China here on Tuesday signed an agreement to provide academic support to China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).

Under the agreement, the two sides will develop collaborative partnership for providing training to their students and faculty members in specific disciplines that helps to promote the concept of CPEC, a press release said.

While welcoming the seven-member Chinese delegation that visited the University to sign the agreement, Vice Chancellor Prof. Dr. Shahid Siddiqui said that the AIOU and some Chinese Universities are working together to set up Chinese language and culture Centres in Pakistan.

Such a cooperation, he said is in line with the CPEC’s framework.

China, he added is their best friend, and the government of Pakistan is actively engaged in strengthening their decades old partnership in all fields of bilateral interest, including education.

The agreement was signed by University’s Registrar Dr. Muhammad Zaigham Qadeer and the leader of the delegation Lu Jia Xing, Vice Chancellor of the Institute.

The VC and senior academic members were present on the occasion.

Lu Jia Xing in his remarks said Sino-Pak relationship are getting stronger with a passage of time and the CPEC works as a major source to bring the people of the two countries more closer.

The Guangxi institute is a high-profile educational institution that provides training to elected mayors and the officers of the Chinese government.

He said that they are visiting Pakistan to explore opportunities to enhance bilateral cooperation in the educational sector, under the structural arrangement of CPEC and Belt and Road’s initiative.

The agreement will facilitate both sides to develop cooperative training programmes as per their local requirements.

The cooperation will also include collaborative research programmes on One Belt and One Road.

The agreement will be effective for a period of five years.

Earlier, the coordinator and focal person the AIOU’s International Collaboration and Exchange office Dr. Zahid Majeed gave a presentation on the academic profile of the University.

The members of delegation were taken around the various departments of the University.

They were highly impressed by the University’s academic and infrastructural network and showed keen interest for learning from each other experience for professional development.