LAHORE: The Punjab government on Friday promulgated an ordinance to give legal cover to a Chinese technical education university being established in Lahore.

The Punjab Tianjin University of Technology Lahore Ordinance 2017 was promulgated after its authorisation by the governor.

The university will provide technical and vocational education and is expected to be established in Lahore by February next year, producing human resource for the sectors in which Beijing is interested.

It may be mentioned here that the Punjab Technical Education and Vocational Training Authority (Tevta) had signed an agreement with the Tianjin University of Technology and Education, China, on May 17 this year to collaborate in establishing a university of technical and vocational training in Punjab by reconstituting a Tevta administered institution.

To materialise the idea, Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif had constituted a committee under the provincial minister for school education for coordination with the Tianjin University. The committee held a series of meetings and discussed various options, opportunities and features of the proposed university, including its charter, courses to be offered, budgetary requirements, faculty hiring, availability of space as per requirements of the Punjab Higher Education Commission.

Source said the university would most likely be run by Chinese faulty and consultants to ensure production of human resource to the Chinese level. It could be given the premises of either the Government College of Emerging Technologies, Green Town, or the Government College of Technology, Raiwind.

The ordinance outlines working, responsibilities and liabilities of the first ever technical university in Punjab.

Published in Dawn, November 18th, 2017