President of Pakistan and LUMS Leadership Discuss Higher Education in Pakistan

President of Pakistan, Dr. Arif Alvi, met with members of LUMS leadership at the Aiwan-e-Sadr in Islamabad on Monday, June 14, to discuss the higher education landscape in the country. Representing the University were Mr. Shahid Hussain, Rector; Dr. Arshad Ahmad, Vice Chancellor and Ms. Nuzhat Kamran, Director, Office of Advancement.

During the session, the President emphasised the importance of research and innovation-based education; he stressed the need for universities to educate students on the latest technological developments and prepare them to meet the requirements of the fourth industrial revolution. He strongly encouraged universities to work collaboratively with each other, and with other higher education institutions within the country and abroad. Additionally, he urged that opportunities for quality education be made available for the larger community, and online systems should be utilised for this purpose.

Mr. Hussain briefed the President about LUMS. He shared that the University places a strong emphasis on merit for admission of students and in the selection of faculty and staff. Mr. Hussain further elaborated on the importance the University gives to gender parity on campus. 

Dr. Ahmad shared some of the research endeavours undertaken at LUMS that aim to solve the grand challenges of the region. He highlighted notable projects including countering deepfake misinformation in low digital-literacy populations. Research and its commercialisation were also discussed during the meeting.

During her presentation, Ms. Kamran shared the impactful work done by the different centres at the University, such as the Centre for Water Informatics and Technology, and the Energy Institute.

The President appreciated the work being done at LUMS, and the University’s effort to promote quality education in the country.