LAHORE: Punjab University Vice Chancellor Prof Niaz Ahmad has stressed the need to polish individuals’ unique qualities for promotion of entrepreneurial culture as there are a lot of opportunities to explore in entrepreneurship in Pakistan.

He was addressing a seminar, titled “The University as Driver for Economic Growth and Social Change: Key Strategic Challenges” at Al Razi Hall of the Punjab University here on Tuesday.

Prof Dr Sarfraz A. Mian from State University, New York, IBA Karachi’s Centre for Entrepreneurial Development Programme Director Dr Shahid Qureshi, Prof VC Prof Dr Muhammad Saleem Mazhar, and heads of various departments, faculty members and students participated in the seminar.

Prof Ahmad said the role of universities was to create new knowledge, introduce innovations and produce civilised citizens. He urged the teachers and students to do research having socioeconomic impact and the university would fund new ideas of teachers and students.

Prof Mian said the concept of entrepreneurial universities should be promoted and added that innovation was an important part of entrepreneurship which could help eradicate poverty from society and improve the economy of the country.

Dr Qureshi claimed that money did not matter in entrepreneurship and one’s brain was the biggest resource. He said that even education was not a hindrance to make one an excellent entrepreneur. He said every human being had unique abilities and we must engage them to utilise their qualities.

EXAMS SCHEDULE: PU Examinations Department has issued the schedule for submission of admission fee & forms for B.Com Part-I and II, annual examinations 2020.

According to the details, for regular candidates, the last date for submission of B.Com Part-II annual examination 2020 admission forms with single fee is 4-3-20 (by post) and 9-3-20 (by hand) while the forms can be submitted with double fee till 11-3-20 (by post) and 17-3-20 (by hand).

For late college candidates, the last date for submission of BCom Part-I and II, annual examinations 2020 admission forms with single fee is 4-3-20 (by post) and 9-3-20 (by hand) while the forms can be submitted with double fee till 11-3-20 (by post) and 17-3-20 (by hand). For private candidates having compartment in Part-I & Part-II, the last date for submission of B.Com Part-I and II, annual examinations 2020 admission forms with single fee is 12-3-20 (by post) and 19-3-20 (by hand) while the forms can be submitted with double fee till 19-3-20 (by post) and 26-3-20 (by hand). Details are also available at PU website www.pu.edu.pk.

Chinese delegation: Agriculture Commissioner at the Chinese embassy Dr Gu Wenliang along with a delegation visited the University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences (UVAS) on Tuesday and discussed opportunities for cooperation in the livestock and agriculture sector.

Vice Chancellor Prof Dr Masood Rabbani, senior faculty as well as stakeholders from the public and private sector attended the discussion. The participants gave their suggestions and technical input for collaboration between the two countries in the sectors mentioned above.

Dr Rabbani said the UVAS had a strong liaison with the private sector and working closely with poultry and dairy industries as well as livestock farming community by using its knowledge, research and trained manpower to solve different issues of the stakeholders. He emphasized that some immediate measures were needed to overcome hurdles in meat export to China and that it’s possible only through an out of the box approach.

The participants said collaboration with Chinese experts would be beneficial for both livestock and agriculture sectors of Pakistan and that learning from the Chinese experience in controlling foot-and-mouth disease of livestock was the most necessary.

Earlier, the VC briefed the Chinese delegation on the UVAS history, campuses, faculties, labs, academic research and development projects, clinical services, and farmer training programmes, national & international collaborations, industry linkages and ongoing projects.

US embryo transfer expert Dr Daren E Statler also met with UVAS VC Prof Rabbani.

Published in Dawn, January 15th, 2020