Higher education: MoU signed for promotion of social science research

Setting up of National Social Science Research Council suggested.

BAHALWALPUR: Promotion of academic research in social sciences through split degree programmes and students and faculty exchange programmes was the hallmark of a memorandum of understanding signed between the Inter-University Consortium for the Promotion of Social Sciences Arts and Humanities (IUCPSS) and the American Institute of Pakistan Studies (AIPS).

The MoU was signed in a ceremony held at University of Gujrat on Friday.

The IUCPSS and the AIPS also agreed to jointly organise seminars, workshops and internship programmes for promotion of social science education.

AIPS president Dr Kamran Asdar Ali said these activities would particularly benefit universities in smaller cities. He said his organisation was assisting the Higher Education Commission (HEC) in recruiting foreign faculty for short-term appointments at Pakistani universities. He said with the MoU the AIPS would also help the HEC in securing social science research grants for Pakistanis in the United States.

University of Gujrat Vice Chancellor Nizamuddin said that member universities should also consider setting up a Social Sciences Council of Pakistan.

HEC Human Resources Development advisor Riaz Qureshi, IUB vice chancellor Muhammad Mukhtar and Government College University Faisalabad Vice Chancellor Zakir Hussain also attended the ceremony.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 27^th, 2012.