ISLAMABAD, June 24: The Global Energy University of Science and Technology (GEUST) has been launched in the capital to develop renewable energy technologies in the country.

“The university, which will be located at Morga, will play an important role to train students in the renewable energy fields for the production of indigenous clean, affordable and sustainable energy resources in the country,” said renowned scientist and GUEST vice-chancellor Dr Lubna Ijaz in a press briefing.

She said an ordinance was approved by the government, under which an Alternate Energy Development Board was established few months back and now the university was being launched to promote the technology in the country.

She claimed that GUEST would be the first ever university in the world that would offer all renewable technology courses adding the classes would commence from January 2004. “We want to teach students at gross-roots level therefore scholarships including 20 percent relaxation in fees would be offered to the deserving students, mainly poor,” Dr Lubna said.

The criteria for admission in the university would be BSc or equivalent while the research programme provides graduate students the opportunity to develop a programme of study and thesis topic at MSc level. “We need to bridge the gap between theory and research in high technology to equip our future generation with skills for development of the country,” she observed.

She maintained that there was a need to develop renewable energy technologies through education and research to sustain the socio-economic and environmental safeguard. The university will be linked with the foreign institutions, she added.

Research work will be made on geo-thermal energy, solar energy, thermal heating and cooling to utilize the available resources in the best interest of the country, she said.

Speaking on the occasion, representative of the United Nations Industrial Development Organization, Carlos E Chanduvi Saurez, said it was an important initiative and the UN agency was proud to be its part.

He pointed out that 67 per cent of Pakistan’s population had no access to electricity, therefore, the renewable energy could help to meet the needs of the people.

At the end, UNIDO signed a memorandum of understanding with National Cleaner Production Centre for cooperation in environment protection programme.

Trade Information Network G77 also signed master franchised agreement with the GEUST to promote e-learning in the country.