Baltistan, Skardu varsity wins European education project

LAHORE :P University of Baltistan, Skardu, Gilgit-Baltistan, has won European Commission (EC)’s prestigious Erasmus, Capacity-Building Higher Education (CBHE) project.

Erasmus Capacity-Building Higher Education, a transnational EU cooperation project, is based on multilateral partnerships, primarily between higher education institutions from EU member states and a third country outside Europe, like Pakistan.

Prof Dr Muhammad Naeem Khan, Vice Chancellor of the University of Baltistan, Skardu, GB, told The News that under the programme, University of Baltistan, Skardu will get a share of Rs15 million grant to modernise and internationalise its higher education system to increase access to higher education through online e-learning and distance education.

Prof Khan said that Erasmus, Capacity-Building Higher Education, project will open new windows of distance education in remote valleys of Himalayas and Karakoram in GB.

He said that due to Covid-19, the education system around the world was affected due to which the mode of education had to be shifted online.

Due to lack of facilities in Baltistan, there were difficulties in adopting to online distance education, but now thanks to EU grant, not only the university teachers will be trained but also the students will be able to take online classes and distance education.

This Erasmus, Capacity-Building Higher Education, European education project will include eight national and European universities as partners’ institutions, including, University of Rome, Italy, LUMS, IBA Sukkur, IBA Karachi and HEC, Pakistan.

While University of Baltistan, Skardu, University of Turbat and University of Balochistan, Quetta, have been included as affiliate partner universities in the project.

The VC congratulated the university faculty and staff on this global partnership and recognition. He said that EU project will help strengthen the capacity of innovation in distance education, improve the quality of higher education, improve intercultural awareness and improve cooperation between Europe and Pakistan.