Road to progress : UMT recognises CPEC’s importance by establishing centre

Varsity says it wants students, faculty to play mega role in project.

LAHORE: To train its faculty and students to play a mega role in the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), the University of Management and Technology (UMT) Lahore has set up a CPEC Research Centre.

It was inaugurated by the Chinese Consul General in Lahore and the varsity’s rector Dr Hasan Sohaib Murad on Monday. According to a press statement, the centre aimed to raise awareness among students and the public over CPEC and its various dimensions. Besides conducting in depth research, seminars and workshops, the centre would focus on connecting the Pakistani market to its Chinese counterparts. The statement added the varsity wanted to inspire young entrepreneurs studying at Pakistani and Chinese universities to come up with innovative business plans and new strategies that can be applied to the multibillion rupee project.



Talking to the media, UMT Rector Dr Hasan Sohaib Murad said the faculty was committed to undertaking research on CPEC, which is the future of Pakistan. “We are working very hard on students and preparing them, in a professional capacity, to contribute to the mega project and shape a new future”.

He added it was the responsibility of all higher education institutions to generate trained manpower to deal with the potential future challenges that will arise once CPEC is up to speed. “Every student enrolled in a university should take keen interest in playing a role for CPEC to put the country on the road to rapid development and economic stability,” Dr Murad said. Chinese Consul General Long Ding Don, while speaking on the occasion, said Pakistani and Chinese universities could successfully implement CPEC.



He added the corridor would bring prosperity for Pakistan and stabilise the economy through One Road, One Belt. Hasan appreciated the UMT’s Chinese classes and its drive to raise awareness among the faculty and students. He hoped that trained young professionals from Pakistani universities, such as UMT, would come to the fore and make CPEC a success.

The CPEC Centre at UMT will conduct scientific analysis of various business activities of CPEC and serve as a guiding principle for policymakers and stakeholders. He stated the latest technology would be utilised to study the CPEC market and connect it with the academia and industry.

The centre will look into key areas of CPEC, like its socioeconomic impact on the lives of the masses, job opportunities for university students, financial integration, cultural influence, urban development and industry expansion.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 16^th, 2017.