MANSEHRA: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Governor Iqbal Zafar Jhagra on Monday said the government was focusing on the promotion of research-based higher education as part of efforts to improve the country’s economic conditions.

“The research-based post-secondary education along with the close collaboration between universities and the industry can help increase the country’s gross domestic product,” he told the ninth convocation of the Hazara University here on Monday.

The governor said the government was spending more and more money on the opening of universities to promote research-oriented higher education.

He said the country could progress if research was carried out in fields of agriculture, chemical industry, medicines, textile, food and beverages along modern lines.

Jhagra attends Hazara varsity convocation

Mr Jhagra said the prime minister and Higher Education Commission had announced the allocation of Rs1 billion and Rs662 million respectively for the early completion of work on eight academic blocks in the university. He said the new blocks would enhance research facilities on campus located on the route of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor. The governor said the current massive research activities would turn the university into a great seat of learning.

Vice-chancellor Dr Idrees said the Hazara University had highly experienced faculty and imminent researchers in all departments, who were striving to benefit the society at large from their knowledge and experience.

He said currently, over 13,000 students from across the country and Saudi Arabia, Maldives and Afghanistan were enrolled in the university.

“We have 700 research publications in international journals and more than 150 PhDs in this remote rural location, where even the basic facilities of life are hard to find,” he said. The VC said the university had produced 86 PhDs and more than 2,500 MPhil scholars in the recent years besides thousands of graduates. The governor later gave away degrees and gold medals to over 300 students both men and women.

Federal minister for religious affairs Sardar Mohammad Yousuf was also in attendance.

Published in Dawn, November 14th, 2017