Varsities pushed for hybrid education mode

Islamabad : President Dr. Arif Alvi has called for increasing the component of hybrid education by the universities to provide cost-effective and easily-accessible education to students.

"The universities need to equip their students with modern IT skills to meet the future security threats arising out of cyberwarfare," he told a meeting on the Pakistan Institute of Engineering and Applied Sciences (PIEAS) at Aiwan-i-Sadr here.

Chairman of the PIEAS board of governors Muhammad Naeem, PIEAS rector Dr. Nasir Majeed Mirza, deans, and senior management attended the meeting.

The rector briefed the president about the performance and role of the Institute in promoting professional education in the country.

He informed that PIEAS was a degree-awarding university and was conducting academic and training programmes in various disciplines.

The rector said that over 5000 students had graduated from the institute in degree programmes in diverse fields such as nuclear engineering, medical physics, and electrical engineering.

Highlighting the importance of research and development, the president urged the universities to broaden the spectrum of research and focus on the intellectual development of students to meet the current-day's challenges.

He asked the management of the Institute to increase the number of students that would help strengthen the country.

The president also stressed the need to develop international collaborations with universities of good repute so as to benefit from their expertise and research.

He appreciated the achievements of the Institute, particularly its role in scientific development of the country.