KARACHI, Sept 29: A six-day training workshop on Research Methods in Social Sciences commenced on Monday at the Arts Auditorium of the University of Karachi.

The university has organized the workshop in collaboration with Pak Organization of Education and Research Work to educate the participating students on research methods in social sciences, steps and sample designing in research, preparation of reports and holding of historical and philosophical studies.

Speaking at the inaugural ceremony, the Vice-Chancellor of the university Dr Zafar Saeed Saify said: “Unfortunately, very little is being done in the field of social sciences at our universities and there is lot to be done to improve the standard of higher education.”

He said research in the fields of social and natural sciences helped in improving standard and quality of life. He urged students and faculty to select for research only the topics that were related or close to human life.

President of the research organization Prof Azher Rizvi said that teaching without research and research without consultancy were both fruitless jobs.

“One can easily judge the efficiency of a varsity by going through its record about how many Ph.Ds and M.Phils it has been producing every year and of what standard,” he said.

This is the first ever workshop of its nature being held in Pakistan, he pointed out.

Several ex-VCs of the university, including Dr Manzooruddin Ahmed, Dr Abdul Wahab, Dr Pirzada Qasim, Dr Abuzar Wajidi, Prof Riazul Islam and Dr Talat Wizarat, also attended the inaugural ceremony and spoke on the occasion.

academic council: Registrar of the University of Karachi has announced results of elections for the members of the KU’s Academic Council on the seats of teachers from affiliated colleges. The elections were held on Sept 27.

Dr Shafiqur Rehman from Dow Medical College (DMC) has been declared elected unopposed on professional seat, Ms Syeda Ummat-us-Sami from Govt College for Women, New Karachi, was declared elected on woman seat and Prof Syed Riaz Ehsan, Prof Muhammad Ghiasuddin and Prof Manzoor Chishti on general seats.—PPI