LAHORE: The Punjab University and People’s Friendship University Moscow on Tuesday signed an agreement to provide scholarships to Pakistani students.

A ceremony to the effect was held at the vice chancellor’s office. PU VC Prof Niaz Ahmad Akhtar, People’s Friendship University (RUDN) Pro-Rector Dr Efremova Larissa, Head of the Office for European and American Countries Anastasia V Gurova, PU Director External Links Dr Sobia Khurram and deans of various faculties were present. Under the agreement, the University of Russia will provide scholarships to the promising students of PU.

Dr. Efremova Larissa said she had come to Pakistan to promote bilateral cooperation with Pakistani universities.

She said she was very happy to know about the progress in the international ranking of various faculties of Punjab University.

“We want Pakistani students to study at our university,” she said, adding she wanted to start summer school programmes in Russia for the students of Punjab University.

She expressed the hope that both the universities would soon launch exchange programmes for teachers and students.

She said she was making efforts to promote linkages with Pakistani, Iranian and Turkish universities.

Prof Niaz Ahmed said they were promoting academic relations with Russia and Central Asian states and the agreement with the Russian university would boost relations between the two countries.

He said high-quality higher education was being imparted at Russian universities and therefore Pakistani universities must develop relations with Russian universities to get benefit from their advanced knowledge and experiences.

He said efforts must be made to resolve the issue of accreditation of degrees from Russian universities and formalities must be fulfilled in this regard.

He also stressed the need for promoting people-to-people contact between the two nations. Later, souvenirs were exchanged.

Earlier, the Russian delegation visited the PU Library where Dr Efremova Larisa praised the infrastructure, rare manuscripts and Urdu translation of Russian literature.

Vocational education: Participants in the annual meeting of the Punjab Skills Advisory Forum stressed the need for sensitising the youth for promoting technical and vocational education in the country in order to meet the needs of the international job market.

The PSAF annual meeting was held at a local hotel in collaboration with donors Technical and Vocational Education and Training Sector Support Programme (TVET SSP) on Tuesday.

Punjab Industries, Commerce, Investment and Skills Development Department constituted the forum in 2017 to bridge the gap between stakeholders through advocacy and awareness, programme implementation, discussion on broad strategic and policy issues and overseeing TVET sector reforms in Punjab.

Punjab Skills Development Authority Director General Moazzam Iqbal Sipra, Head of TVET SSP Iris Cordelia Rotzoll, representatives of business and industry associations, leading employers from major economic sectors, allied departments, training providers and international donors/technical agencies working in Punjab were present.

Published in Dawn, March 30th, 2022