Rs64 billion plan to improve Punjab higher education

Published April 8, 2014
Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif. — File photo
Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif. — File photo

LAHORE: The vice-chancellors' (VCs') committee set up by Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif has finalised a 10-year road map to improve higher education in Punjab.

Under the plan, besides the establishment of an international standard information technology and technical university at Knowledge Park in Lahore, the upgrade of sub-campuses of public universities, granting the status of universities to some government colleges, improvement of the infrastructure of the universities and development projects worth Rs34.6 billion would be completed from 2014 to 2018. Another action plan has also been evolved to spend another Rs30 billion in next five years.

This was announced in a briefing regarding the future of higher education at a meeting presided over by Education Minister Rana Mashhood Ahmed n on Monday.

VCs' committee head retired Lt-Gen Muhammad Akram said the infrastructure of Muhammad Nawaz Sharif University of Engineering and Technology in Multan would be completed at a cost of Rs3.8 billion and Rs1 billion would be spent on the project in the first phase.

He said 850 acres at Dera Rakh Chal on Bedian Road has been allocated for the Knowledge Park. He said the sub-campuses of world renowned universities would be set up over 400 acres of the park.

Also the IT and Technical University would be set up over 100 acres. He said the remaining 400 acres would be utilised for providing housing to foreign universities, setting up of ICT companies and provision of recreational facilities.

Follow Dawn Business on Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram and Facebook for insights on business, finance and tech from Pakistan and across the world.

Opinion

Editorial

Border clashes
19 May, 2024

Border clashes

THE Pakistan-Afghanistan frontier has witnessed another series of flare-ups, this time in the Kurram tribal district...
Penalising the dutiful
19 May, 2024

Penalising the dutiful

DOES the government feel no remorse in burdening honest citizens with the cost of its own ineptitude? With the ...
Students in Kyrgyzstan
19 May, 2024

Students in Kyrgyzstan

BEING stranded on foreign shores is hardly an agreeable experience. And if the environment is hostile — as it...
Ominous demands
Updated 18 May, 2024

Ominous demands

The federal government needs to boost its revenues to reduce future borrowing and pay back its existing debt.
Property leaks
18 May, 2024

Property leaks

THE leaked Dubai property data reported on by media organisations around the world earlier this week seems to have...
Heat warnings
18 May, 2024

Heat warnings

STARTING next week, the country must brace for brutal heatwaves. The NDMA warns of severe conditions with...