LAHORE: Four public and private sector universities on Thursday signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to provide a platform for capacity building on establishment of new gender studies programmes.

The agreement was signed by Lahore College for Women University (LCWU) Vice Chancellor Prof Dr Bushra Mirza, University of Jhang (UJ) Registrar Muzaffar Abbas, Kinnaird College for Women University (KCWU) Principal Prof Dr Rukhsana David and Gift University, Gujranwala, Social Sciences Dean Dr Asir Ajmal.

The LCWU Department of Gender and Development Studies would provide help to establish gender and development studies programme in partner universities under the US-Pakistan Partnership Grants Program (UPGP) funded by the US government and administered by the United States Education Foundation in Pakistan (USEFP) entitled, ‘GDS-LCWU’s Initiative of Capacity Building & Professional Development of Partner Universities’.

According to the MoU, capacity building of the KCWU, the UJ and GIFT university will be done by executing activities such as trainings on gender concepts, curriculum development, leadership development and research methods.

Moreover, trainings will be delivered by national and international trainers from George Washington University during the eight months of the project. The partner universities will be in a position to start a programme of gender and development study as a major outcome of this project.

In addition, the Lahore College for Women University (LCWU) department will provide strategic direction and leadership of project. Around 100 faculty members from partner universities will be direct beneficiaries and 2,500 faculty members and students from partner universities and the LCWU will be getting benefit from this project.

Mirza said the memorandum of understanding (MoU) would help establish newly-emerging discipline in the field of feminist research among partner universities. She said the four partner institutions would collaborate on academic research and development in gender and development studies.

Shahram Niazi, Program Alumni officer USEFP, Summaya Tariq, Education Adviser US Consulate, also attended the event and shared opportunities for collaboration in the future.

Dr Shahid Qureshi, Rector Gift University, Gujranwala, Dr Muhammad Afzal, Dean of Social Sciences LCWU, Dr Aqsa Shabbir, Director ORIC, Uzma Ashiq, In-charge GDS, representatives from all partner universities and the US consulate also attended the event.

Published in Dawn, August 5th, 2022