The Federal Minister for Planning, Development, and Special Initiatives, Prof. Ahsan Iqbal, chaired a progress review meeting on four key Centers of Excellence, namely the National Center for Brand Development, Establishment of Bayt-ul-Hikmah at NUML, Establishment of China-Pakistan Joint Research Centre (CPJR) on Earth Sciences, QAU, Islamabad, Dr. A. Q Khan Institute of Materials and Emerging Sciences aand on establishment of 9 Seerat Chairs. During the meeting, the Planning Minister emphasized the strategic importance of the National Center for Manufacturing, a project approved by the Central Development Working Party (CDWP) at a cost of Rs 4,289.880 million, with a foreign exchange component (FEC) of Rs 2,901.250 million, scheduled to be completed by June 30, 2027. Prof. Ahsan Iqbal highlighted that material science would play a pivotal role in shaping the future of production technologies and directed that a leading expert in material science be appointed to steer the project. He stressed that the selected leader must align with current global competitive requirements to ensure the successful execution of the initiative. On the subject of establishing Bayt-ul-Hikmah at the National University of Modern Languages (NUML), the Planning Minister highlighted that this institute would serve as a platform for translating the world’s best books into local languages and vice versa. He directed the formation of a steering committee to identify key books for translation and the appropriate talent to undertake this endeavor. The Bayt-ul-Hikmah project has been approved by the CDWP at a revised cost of Rs 485.998 million. Prof. Iqbal emphasized the importance of this project in making Pakistan a global knowledge hub. The meeting also reviewed the Quality Assurance Framework for Higher Education in Pakistan, where the Planning Minister called for improved regulation of departments to enhance the performance of higher education institutions. He directed that a roadmap for the performance audit of universities be prepared, focusing on seven key themes, which include: 1. Academic Quality and Curricula 2. Research, Innovation, and Entrepreneurship 3. Academic-Industry Linkages 4. Technology Infrastructure 5. Corporate Governance and Finance 6. Community Service and Engagement 7. Graduate Quality and Employability Prof. Iqbal further directed the Vice Chancellor of Quaid-e-Azam University to prepare a roadmap for the establishment of the A.Q. Khan Institute of Materials and Emerging Sciences, with the final plan to be submitted within the next seven days. The Minister reiterated that top experts in material sciences should be associated with the project to ensure it meets global standards. Prof. Ahsan Iqbal also inquired about the updated status on nine Seerat Chairs across various universities in Pakistan. These chairs, to be filled through the Higher Education Commission (HEC), will be held by internationally acclaimed Islamic scholars. The Planning Minister urged that this process be fast-tracked to ensure timely execution.
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