LAHORE: The Punjab University (PU) on Wednesday organised a seminar on quality assurance: challenges and reforms for its BS nutrition and dietetics.

PU Institute of Social and Cultural Studies’ (ISCS) Department of Public Health in collaboration with the National Agriculture Education Accreditation Council (NAEAC), the Higher Education Commission (HEC), organised a quality assurance and accreditation awareness seminar at its auditorium.

The purpose of the seminar was to raise awareness among the students about the importance of quality assurance in academic disciplines and the role of the NAEAC in the accreditation of degree programmes.

NAEAC chairperson Prof Dr Ishtiaq A. Rajwana was the guest speaker at the seminar while ISCS Director Prof Dr Rubeena Zakar, faculty members and a number of students attended the event.

Prof Zakar in her introductory remarks explained various programmes offered at the institute including the Human Nutrition and Dietetics. She presented an introduction to the BS-Nutrition & Dietetics programme, along with other programmes offered at the institute.

She also highlighted the significance of nutrition and dietetics for the prevention of communicable and non-communicable diseases.

Dr Rajwana gave a comprehensive presentation on the history, aims and core function of the NAEAC and explained the standards and procedures of the accreditation process. He also explained various steps for accreditation, grading criteria and the important benchmarks to earn the W category in the programme evaluation.

The participants also contributed through their insightful questions that added more knowledge about the importance of quality assurance in academic excellence and future aspects of the degree accreditation process.

PhD: The Punjab University (PU) has awarded a PhD degree in International Relations to Muhammad Asif, son of Ehsanul Haq.

The degree has been awarded after a thesis entitled “Comparative Analysis between Nigeria and Pakistan: Religious Extremism as Case Study” was approved.

Prof Dr Iram Khalid, chairperson Department of Political Science, was the supervisor.

Governor: Governor Omer Sarfraz Cheema on Wednesday visited his alma mater -- the Government College University (GCU), Lahore.

Vice Chancellor Prof Dr Asghar Zaidi welcomed the governor on his arrival on the campus where Mr Cheema met the teachers who had taught him during his days at the varsity, and also addressed the representatives of different student societies.

The governor was a student of the Government College Lahore, now a varsity, in the 1980s.

In response to a question from journalists, VC Prof Zaidi said that political affiliation didn’t matter for educational institutions.

He said the GCU is a leading university of Pakistan, open to all kinds of debate, including on political, economic and social issues.

“I want my students to ask questions and be part of healthy discussions on issues at all levels,” he added.

Speaking on this occasion, the governor said the GCU played a historic role in the promotion of education in the subcontinent and such institutions needed to be strengthened.

He said the youth was the future of this country and had the right to raise voice on issues of Pakistan.

He also discussed Kashmir issue with the students of Kashmir Society. Later, he interacted with journalists.

MoU: The National College of Arts (NCA) and the University of Home Economics (UHE) on Wednesday signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU).

NCA Vice Chancellor Dr Murtaza Jaffery and UHE VC Prof Dr Kanwal Ameen signed the MoU at a ceremony held at the NCA.

Under the MoU, the NCA will provide technical facilities to the students of the UHE Department of Fine Arts and Digital Media.

The two institutions will exchange faculty and students for mutual benefit, collaborate in holding joint seminars, workshops and provide mutual access to facilities for the purpose of research.

Published in Dawn, April 14th, 2022