Futuristic curriculum advocated to meet market demands

Islamabad : Federal information minister Marriyum Aurangzeb on Wednesday urged curriculum developers to promote futuristic learning to meet market demands.

Addressing a function held here to mark the Quaid-e-Azam University's top world rankings, the minister said the public sector institutions of high education to improve learning standards to compete in the fast-changing world.

She urged university students to promote the country's positive image, culture and heritage through performing arts in the current age of digital media, and offered them her ministry's platform to connect with foreign contemporaries to polish skills along scientific lines.

Ms Marriyum also said colleges and universities should teach students about constitutional matters and democratic norms to advance the cause of democracy in the country.

She stressed the need for student assessment in the country in line with international standards.

The minister praised the QAU for academic excellence, especially the bagging of key positions in the three recent prestigious world rankings.

The QS World University Rankings 2023 declared the QAU 41st in the research productivity and 363rd overall globally, while the Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2022 named it as the top institution of higher education in Pakistan and 116th in Asia. The US News and World Report ranked QAU as the best university in Pakistan and 461 globally.

Federal education minister Rana Tanvir Hussain, who was also in attendance, urged universities to focus on research for national development, especially the economy.

He said the ministry would resolve all issues of the university, especially financial ones, on priority.

QAU Vice-Chancellor Prof. Dr. Muhammad Ali highlighted the achievements of the university over the years, especially top world rankings, and attributed them to the commitment of the faculty and other staff members to their work.

He said several new offices had been established at QAU, including the Directorate of Students’ Affairs, Directorate of Academics, Directorate of Estate, Career Counselling Office, Placement Office, and Business Incubation Centre, to facilitate students and generate student-centric activities.

The VC said in 2021-22, the QAU students completed research projects of Rs252 million in different fields, while work was underway on 107 research projects.

Chairperson of the Higher Education Commission Dr. Shaista Sohail said it was a matter of great pride for the country that the high standards set by its top university, QAU, were formally recognised internationally.