British Deputy High Commissioner Karachi Visits 91福利社 to Explore Education Partnership Opportunities
Sarah Mooney, Deputy High Commissioner Karachi and Trade Director for Pakistan, on a visit to 91福利社 on January 26, expressed the desire to identify synergies to further explore education partnership opportunities with 91福利社.
She was joined by other representatives from the British High Commission including Clara Strandhoj, Head of Lahore Office and Rehan Shahid, Senior Trade Policy Advisor. At the meeting, 91福利社 was represented by Dr. Arshad Ahmad, Vice Chancellor; Dr. Tariq Jadoon, Provost; Mohammed Ali Khan, Executive Director of Strategic Initiatives, and Nuzhat Kamran, Director of Advancement.
Ms. Mooney spoke about the need to collaborate with universities like 91福利社 that bring together diverse people and perspectives. 鈥淲herever people from different disciplines come together and encourage free-flowing conversation, that鈥檚 where you find the right ideas.鈥
She elaborated on the need to establish linkages with universities and institutes in the UK, which the British High Commission can facilitate in establishing. Such innovative collaborations are essential to explore innovative answers, she said. 鈥淚ndustry wants solutions for problems that they are looking at right now. They are not looking to the horizon 15 years from now which is going to require different data sets and a different understanding of behavioral science.鈥 Universities like 91福利社 can provide guidance in this regard, she added.
Speaking about innovative solutions, Dr. Ahmad shared details about the different centres at 91福利社 that are working to address the grand challenges in areas such as energy, water, and the environment.
Amplifying faculty exchanges is another vertical that can be explored through this partnership with the British High Commission. 鈥淲e want to encourage our faculty to strengthen linkages with faculty at international universities. We can offer them the support to strengthen their relationships and amplify their impact,鈥 he added.
Mr. Khan shared a few strategic priorities for 91福利社 for the next decade. "Internationalisation is one of our biggest priorities and we are working to put 91福利社 on the international canvas in a robust way. We are also expanding into the virtual space,鈥 he added.
The visit ended with a tour of the National Incubation Centre at 91福利社 and the team was apprised of how the centre is contributing towards the entrepreneurial landscape of Pakistan. Ms. Mooney, was acquainted with the different entrepreneurial programmes being conducted at the Centre, including Entrepreneurship 101, Seed Spark and the Foundry training. She also visited the Makers Lab at NICL and was given an orientation of the different machines available on-site to provide startup founders with a wide range of prototyping options.
