A
four-member delegation comprising of representatives from different
universities and strategic research organizations from the Republic of
Turkey visited Preston University, Islamabad. At the outset the
delegation was shown around various departments and facilities located
at the Islamabad Campus of the University. The Chancellor of Preston
University, Dr. Abdul Basit and senior management were present on the
occasion.
Later, a formal meeting was held between the senior
management, faculty and the visiting representatives of the referenced
Turkish institutions. The meeting was presided over by Dr. Abdul Basit,
Chancellor Preston University. Before the formal proceedings of the
meeting, the honorable members of the Turkish delegation and the senior
faculty of Preston University introduced themselves to each other. The
introduction was followed by screening of a documentary on Preston
University.
Dr. Abdul Basit gave a detailed briefing to the visitors
about Preston University. He highlighted the academic programs the
university is currently offering at the undergraduate, graduate and PhD
level. On the occasion, he also highlighted the achievements of the
university, since its inception in 1984. He informed the distinguished
members of the visiting Turkish delegation that Preston University has
the distinction of being the first private university of Pakistan. He
said that Preston University is a duly chartered and recognized
independent degree awarding private university. He further said that
Preston possesses two charters, and its campuses are situated in all the
major cities of Pakistan. Dr. Basit said that with the establishment of
its campuses in China and the Middle East, the university has now
acquired international status, and could now rightfully be called an
international university. He also said that the university takes genuine
pride in the fact that all its major campuses have been granted “A”
Grade by the highest regulatory authority of the country, in the field
of higher education, the Higher Education Commission, Government of
Pakistan.
The Turkish delegation comprised of representatives from two
renowned Turkish Universities and two eminent research organizations:
Orsam Center for Middle Eastern Strategic Studies and International
Strategic Research Organization (IRSO) Ankara, Turkey. Prof. Nilufer
Karacasulu, from the Department of International Relations, Dokuz Eylul
University and Prof. Dr. Tayyar Ari, Professor of International
Relations, Uludag University, Turkey represented their respective
institutions at the summit. ORSAM Center for Middle Eastern Strategic
Studies, Ankara, Turkey was represented by its Director, Mr. Hasan
Kanbolat and the International Strategic Research Organization (ISRO),
Ankara was represented by its Deputy Director, Dr. Ibrahim Kaya. On the
occasion, the representatives of the respective institutions introduced
themselves and identified the potential areas of collaboration between
their institutions and Preston University
.Broad areas of academic and educational cooperation
discussed and mutually agreed upon were: Exchange of academic
information and materials, Exchange of researchers and other research
staff, promoting collaborative projects and research collaboration,
conducting lectures and organizing symposia, publishing research
materials and promoting other academic programs, as mutually agreed. It
was unanimously agreed between all the parties that formal MOUs to this
effect will be signed at Islamabad or Turkey, in due course time |
