Islamabad : A delegation of IBA Sukkur University, Sukkur led by its Vice chancellor, Prof. Dr. Syed Mir Muhammad Shah as well as Prof. Dr. Tariq Mahmood, Vice Chancellor, University of Narowal called on Prof. Dr. Muhammad Tabassum Afzal, Rector, COMSATS University Islamabad in his office, separately on Thursday.

Prof. Shah informed that IBA-Sukkur had a very strong outreach program to support talented students from all over the country. In the early years of its inception, IBA-Sukkur realized that attracting talents in faculty and student body over an open merit policy to a highly remote area will be a key challenge. IBA Sukkur had therefore backward integrated by establishing a network of Schools and Community Colleges to identify and nourish talented students from the poverty-stricken areas. 

Furthermore, he said that IBA Sukkur conducts workshops in nearly all the districts of Pakistan each year to attract the brightest students on scholarship with the support of the local industry. He said that IBA-Sukkur is now investing on establishing its Technology Park and encouraging enterprises to establish their business in the new facility.

Prof. Afzal appreciated the IBA-Sukkur model and informed that in advanced countries, universities share resources and expertise and cross train students to achieve integration, uniformity, and quality education. He appreciated the efforts of Prof Shah in reaching out to local universities for building collaborations and offered the support of COMSATS University Islamabad in addressing the faculty and courses challenge of IBA-Sukkur.

Later, Prof. Mahmood called on Prof. Afzal to inform about the areas of focus of the newly established University of Narowal. He said that the focus of his University after acquiring the necessary infrastructure will be to conduct product-oriented research and offer solutions to the local agrarian-based economy. He said that the University of Narowal would like to work closely with COMSATS University Islamabad in establishing a state-of-the-art Department of Architecture at its main campus. Prof. Afzal said that CUI encourages positive exchanges between national institutions and will work hand in hand with the University of Narowal to transfer its experience.