LAHORE: The Punjab Higher Education Department (HED) on Thursday appointed vice chancellors of two women universities in Lahore and Sialkot and the pro-vice chancellor of the University of the Punjab.

Quaid-i-Azam University Islamabad’s Department of Biochemistry Prof Dr Bushra Mirza has been appointed as VC of the Lahore College for Women University (LCWU) for a period of four years.

According to a notification, the governor/chancellor has appointed Dr Bushra Mirza, Professor, Department of Biochemistry, QAU, Islamabad, as VC of the LCWU, Lahore. She has been directed to join within seven days.

Dr Mirza did her PhD from the Cambridge University, UK in 1996 and post-doc from the University of North Carolina, USA. Her area of expertise is molecular genetics of medicinal plants. She is the recipient of a number of awards and honours, including Prof. A. R. Shakoori Gold Medal (2010), Best Young Research Scholar Award by Higher Education Commission, Pakistan (2009) and PAS Gold Medal (2008). She is also the present chair of the ISESCO Women in Science wing.

The HED also appointed University of Management and Technology (UMT) School of Social Science and Humanities dean Dr Rukhsana Kausar as the VC of Government College Women University, Sialkot.

According to a notification, the governor/chancellor has appointed Dr Kausar as VC of Government College Women University, Sialkot for a period of four years.

The chancellor/governor withdrew the appointment letter of Prof Dr Nasira Jabeen as VC of the Government College Women University, Sialkot. Ms Jabeen was directed to join the office but she did not do so, citing personal reasons.

The HED appointed Prof Dr Muhammad Saleem Mazhar as Pro-VC of the Punjab University.

According to a notification, the governor appointed Prof Dr Muhammad Saleem Mazhar as Pro-VC of the PU for a period of three years. The slot has been vacant for the last eight years or so.

The Pro-VC assists the VC in the execution of some of the functions of the university.

BISE CHAIRMEN: The Punjab government posted on Thursday seven more chairmen of boards of intermediate and secondary education (BISEs) of the province after two years or so.

According to notification, Dr Tayyaba Shaeen was posted chairperson of the Faisalabad BISE, Dr Mazhar Saeed Bahawalpur, Dr Ghulam Dastigir Rawalpindi, Shamim Akhtar Multan, Kishwar Naheed Rana Dera Ghazi Khan, Dr Tariq Mehmood Gujranwala and Hafiz Muhammad Shafiq of the Sahiwal BISE.

They were also relived from the additional post of director of education (colleges).

The government has yet to issue the notification of the Sargodha BISE.TEVTA: The Technical Education and Vocational Training Authority (Tevta) and the Tianjin Modern Vocational College, China, signed five memorandum of understanding (MoUs) on Thursday at a ceremony where Tevta Chairman Hafiz Farhat Abbas and Tianjin Modern Vocational College President Cao Yanli signed the MoUs.

Mr Abbas said that 75 students would go to China on scholarship where they would get modern training on robotics and automation. He said the industry was shifting to robotics and automation from manual, therefore, it was necessary for students to learn it. He also informed that all expenses of these students, including travel expenses, will be born by China.

He said China was their time tested friend and these actions would further strengthen the relation and friendship of both countries.

Published in Dawn, July 5th, 2019