COMSATS varsity VC complains of funds’ shortage

Islamabad: COMSATS University Islamabad Rector Prof. Dr. Raheel Qamar has complained that the shortage of development funds had stented the growth of the university over several years.

"The budgetary cuts have resulted in the stoppage of the Prime Minister’s Scheme for Fee Reimbursement, which is impacting middle class parents from deprived areas from being able to access higher education for their children," the rector told Minister of State for States and Frontier Regions and Narcotics Control Shehryar Afridi during a meeting.

The rector said the CUI and the higher education sector at large had very high hopes from the present government due to the vision of the prime minister to prioritise human development over infrastructure. "We (CUI) will always remain ready to render services and consultancy to the government in its programs on education, knowledge led economy and infrastructure development," he said.

The minister pledged support of his office for seeking scholarships and development budget for the university. He, however, said the university should look into newer avenues as well as philanthropists to contribute towards its funding stream and enhance numbers of foreign students in its student body. The minister also called for increasing interaction between government functionaries and universities.

He lauded the achievements of COMSATS University Islamabad and said Kohat, his hometown, should also benefit from a campus of the varsity. The minister also visited the Junaid Zaidi Central Library.

Earlier, talking to participants of the Leadership Development Programme at COMSATS University Islamabad, the minister shared his life experiences iterating students to devote themselves wholeheartedly towards achieving excellence and committing to a life with no tolerance for corruption or nepotism.