The delegation of Schlumberger Foundation, led by the Chairman, Mr. Gerard Martellozo met with the Federal Minister for Education Mr. Shafqat Mahmood, today at Ministry of Education. The meeting was aimed to develop gender equality for choosing their career, in the field of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) in Pakistan, under the program of faculty for the Future, which focuses to generate conditions that result in more women pursuing scientific careers by removing the barriers, women face when entering “STEM” disciplines.
Mr. Shafqat Mahmood directed Higher Education Commission and Quaid-e-Azam University to provide offices to the foundation in universities to facilitate them for their meetings and developing the lateral linkages with Alumni. Higher Education Commission was asked to nominate a focal person for un-interrupted communication with the foundation to reach out universities to from work teams able to analyze and tackle the reasons for under representation of women in STEM disciplines.
Present government wants their students and faculty members, who are studying abroad to return to Pakistan after completion of their studies to contribute to economic, social and technological advancement of their home institutions, Mr. Shafqat Mahmood said, Faculty for the future provides scholar ship to finance PhD or Post-Doc degrees in STEM disciplines; 56 Pakistanis have received the fellowships under this program.
The chairman Schlumberger foundation also congratulated the Minister for unanimously being elected as president of prestigious UNESCO’s Education Commission.
*-*-*-*
