SWABI, Jan 16: A strict financial control and unabated research in the field of engineering and modern sciences produce best students.

This was stated by the chairman of Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission (PAEC) and special advisor to the prime minister, Dr Ishfaq Ahmed, while speaking to deans of faculties and other distinguished members of the Ghulam Ishaq Khan Institute of Engineering Sciences and Technology here on Thursday.

He urged the professors that they should strive to make the institute a centre of excellence.

He opposed the total privatization and called for including the public sector share, but advocated autonomous position and strict financial discipline in all circumstances, which he considered a key to the establishment of an excellent institutions.

“In PAEC, we have a well-disciplined financial position and never accepted any financial irregularities or meddling which may hinder research and maintain our autonomy in conducting the vital research work,” he claimed.

He suggested that the International Advisory Board of the institute should meet regularly and if there was difficulty to invite all the members of the board, the size could be reduced to six professionals.

The regular meetings were vital because the institute was a dynamic entity and it should work continuously for modernization and research, he added.

“Instead of sending our students to the foreign universities,” he said, adding: “We should work for creating local opportunities and the academic experts should realize the importance of local talent.”

On the occasion, he donated his book “Water and New Technologies” to the institute.

Earlier, the GIK Rector, Dr Mohammed Naseer Khan, briefed him about the institute’s academic activities and said that it was a model for other institutions of engineering sciences in the country and had produced students according to the current needs.

Mr Ahmed was informed by the rector that the total number of the MS and PhD students was 66.