KARACHI: Need stressed to promote research culture
KARACHI, July 14: The Vice-Chancellor of the University of Karachi, Prof Pirzada Qasim Raza Siddiqui, has underscored the need for sustainable growth of varsities in the country, focussed on knowledge based activities, manifested through interactive education cum research programmes. Addressing the inaugural ceremony of PhD/ MPhil/Masters programmes of the Dow University of Health Sciences (DUHS) here on Thursday mentioned that the country was largely missing the real culture of education and research.
But, he also expressed his satisfaction that after a lapse of several years measures were being initiated by the government and the Higher Education Commission (HEC) to turn postgraduate institutions into quality and relevant research based centres of real knowledge.
According to Dr Pirzada, the fields of education and research were suffering in Pakistan due to ill-planning.
Elaborating his stance, he referred to the fact that often no less than 12 PhDs could be found in one single department of a university while a mere single or two in another making the scenario difficult on retirement of the single and only duly qualified soul.
“Once somebody retires there must be at least an equally qualified or preferably more qualified and updated teachers cum researchers to guide the students,” he said.
Emphasizing upon the quality of research programmes, Dr Pirzada mentioned that as per the HEC initiatives PhD thesis of candidates registered with the KU were sent for evaluation to researchers and scholars based in institutions of repute in countries other than Pakistan, mainly European and American.
Observing that the DUHS under the guidance of Prof Masood Hameed Khan was also in process of emerging as a model university, he reminded that being a member of the HEC Education Enhancement Committee, he said efforts were underway to introduce PhD curriculum development procedure in all the varsities with main focus on “Methods of Teaching”.
Dr Pirzada said that the basic criteria of education, with specific reference to medical education should be training, service oriented programmes and search for professionals.
The KU vice-chancellor maintained that research must not only be an essential requirement for teachers but also for the students.
Research culture must be inculcated in the medical students at the undergraduate level as well, he said.
DUHS Vice-Chancellor Prof Masood Hameed Khan in his welcome address citing the occasion historic as the university was formally launching its PhD/MPhil programme said the institution had a vision to develop human resources for national progress.
According to him with the very perspective the DUHS was in fast process of establishing an Institute of Medical Technologists offering two-year diploma and four year degree programmes.
Similarly, the DUHS vice-chancellor said the establishment of a Nursing Training Institute was also among the many programmes of the DUHS and for which collaborations was also being sought with different reputable institutions within the country and abroad.
Prof Hameed on the occasion also expressed his gratitude to the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Karachi, Prof Pirzada Qasim and AKU President Shamsh Kassim Lakha and Prof Naim Jafferi of the Ziauddin Medical University for affirming collaboration between their respective institutions and the DUHS.
“There are still many of the postgraduates of the DUHS registered with the KU,” he said acknowledging the support extended particularly by Karachi University as well as other cited institutions in strengthening the DUHS.
Reiterating the importance of collaborative activities, the vice-chancellor of DUHS said since research could not be done in isolation hence cooperation and coordination in context of PhD and MPhil programmes would be appreciable.
Earlier, Prof Waqar H Kazmi, Director Research and PhD Programme, DUHS, in his elaborate presentation introduced the PhD programme of the DUHS.
Later, shields were presented to the advisory group of the university’s PhD programme. Prof Salahuddin Afsar, Principal Dow Medical College, Prof Waqar Hussein Kazmi, Prof Anwar Siddiqui (Associatiate Dean - Research of AKU), Prof Mansoor Ahmed (Head of Pharmacology Department- KU),Prof Badar Jahan Siddiqui, Prof Khalid Memhmood Shah, Dr Tahir Shamsi were among the recipients of the shields.
Dr Pirzada was presented memento shield by Dr Masood Hameed.
Dr Javaid Ismail, Deputy Director of DUHS PhD programme offered the vote of thanks.—APP
