China, April 01, 2016
A Memorandum of Understanding was signed between the Commission on Science and Technology
for Sustainable Development in the South (COMSATS) and South-Central University
for Nationalities (SCUN), Wuhan, China, on the 1st of April 2016. The MoU signing
ceremony took place in academic exchange center and hosted by Prof. Shizhong Wang,
Director of International Affairs Office, SCUN, China.
Prof. Dr. Jinlin Li (President, SCUN) and Dr. Abdul Waheed (Director CIIT, Sahiwal)
signed the agreement. Under the agreement, COMSATS and SCUN have agreed to undertake
joint research projects, exchange of scientific, technical and other relevant information
through mutually agreed channels; exchange of students, researchers, faculty, staff
and experts; organization of joint events (conferences, workshops and symposia and
meetings); transfer of technology; and planning and execution of academic activities.
Before MOU signing ceremony, Prof. Dr. Jinlin Li formally welcomed Dr. Waheed and
his delegation to SCUN. He introduced his university and highlighted different achievements
and activities. SCUN is one of the six leading educational institutes in China for
ethnic groups. SCUN is committed to innovation in higher education and thus has
achieved a rapid and comprehensive development. Currently, SCUN have signed 46 collaboration
agreements for exchange with different developed and developing countries. He further
stated that China and Pakistan are old trusted friends. The “One Belt, One Road”
initiative and China-Pak Economic Corridor are the good example of bilateral strategic
and cooperative partnership to a more comprehensive framework.
In his speech at the occasion, Dr. Abdul Waheed noted with pleasure the excellent
facilities that SCUN has at its various departments. He expressed confidence that
China-Pak Economic Corridor will defiantly help Pakistan to become the hub of regional
economic integration. The COMSATS-SCUN MoU will help to strengthen the relationship
between the two universities. He further introduced COMSATS and gave a snapshot
of the milestones reached by the university in a small period of just over 15 years.
He noted that from just one campus in the year 2000, CIIT has exponentially grown
and now have seven fully functional campuses in different cities, as well as a virtual
campus in Islamabad, giving the university the envisioned national character.
It was informed that the university now has 18 departments, 10 research centers,
and offers 96 academic programmes, with faculty and student strengths nearing 3,118
and 35,971, respectively. About its ranking, he informed that the university is
among the top ten higher education institutions of the country by any standards,
and aims at being one of the top 500 universities from around the world by 2020.
Dr. Waheed also introduced Pak-China Business Forum, a regular activity arranged
by CIIT for last four years, is intended to provide a platform to Pakistani and
Chinese businessmen and entrepreneurs to explore opportunities for business, Foreign
Direct Investment (FDI), and technology transfer. It was informed that during the
most recent annual event under the Forum, 200 Chinese companies participated and
70 MoUs were signed between Pakistani and Chinese businessmen. Dr. Waheed also invited
Dr. Li to participate this event in the next year.
Click here to view more pictures