Multi-million dollar IT projects to be launched
LAHORE- Pakistan is collaborating with Islamic countries to launch multi-million dollar projects in information technology to meet the modern-day requirements.
This was stated by Federal Science and Technology Minister Dr Attaur Rehman while speaking at the first convocation of the Lahore College for Women after attaining the status of a degree-awarding institution in 1999.
Prof Rehman said that he was currently visiting different Islamic countries to discuss and set up centres of excellence to promote research as a joint venture.
After preliminary visits, he said that he told President Musharraf that the most powerful Islamic country had a far less Gross Domestic Product (GDP) than the most smallest European country. He said the basic reason for their progress was the quality education being imparted to every citizen. Now, he said, it was a challenge for the Muslim Ummat to promote education and scientific research to face the modern world. He also stressed that everybody in the country should join hands and work for the welfare of the country.
During the last one year, Prof Rehman said the government had set up seven information technology universities in the country to give boost to the IT education in the country. He said the Virtual University established in Lahore would be able to cater for some 25,000 students next year and about 100,000 students in 2004.
Prof Rehman said the present government had also extended the Internet facility in 724 cities in the country as compared to only 29 cities availing the facility when he assumed the office of the minister. He said fibre optic had also been laid down in 20 cities of the country. He said the bandwidth had also been increased for fast Internet communication. He also encouraged students to join the practical fields and conduct research to see the wonders being taken place in the world of science.
College principal Dr Bushra Mateen presented the college’s annual report. After being declared as a degree-awarding institution, she said, the college designed its own courses of studies and examination system to teach and evaluate its students independently.
Dr Mateen said the college had also introduced masters classes in 15 disciplines besides bachelors degree courses in computer science, environmental science, business studies and electronics, which had the job market.
She said the college was also training civil servants in collaboration with the Punjab Information Technology Board besides training being imparted to all the college faculty for computer applications in their respective subjects.
Dr Mateen urged the federal minister to also pay attention for the promotion of degrees and research in basic sciences and job opportunities for their contribution towards the national development. She said the college had also introduced a compulsory paper of “research methodology” for all postgraduate departments as an humble effort to promote research and learn new techniques.
Earlier, Prof Rehman presented medals, shields and rolls of honours to students who secured distinctions in their BA, BSc and MA, MSc annual examinations. The BA, BSc and MA, MSc students of the college for session 1999-2001 received their first college degrees.
Source: Dawn
Date:5/29/2002
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