Governor praises the UVAS for achieving excellence in veterinary and animal sciences. PHOTO: EXPRESS
“Educational institutions should support innovations in livestock. They should also produce skilled human resources,” the governor said speaking at the 7th Convocation of the University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences (UVAS), Lahore.
As many as 757 graduates received degrees, including 163 doctor of veterinary medicine (DVMs), 173 BS (hons), 64 Pharm-D, 21 MBA, 12 MBA (Executive), 12 MBF, 16 BBA (hons), 28 MSc Zoology, 246 MPhil and 22 PhD. Thirty-eight graduates were awarded medals for securing top positions.
Congratulating the graduates, the governor said it was time for them to pay the society back and contribute to nation-building.
“The world is changing. We need to think critically and promote creativity.” He said the institutions of higher learning were the key to making the country self-reliant in food.
“We need to be prepared to respond to animal disease incursions in time and in a cost-effective way. Fresh policies and response structures should be in place to achieve this,” Rajawana said.
He praised the UVAS for making it to top 10 universities of Pakistan. The university has been working with the government and industry to promote education, research and national development, he said.
In his welcome address, Vice Chancellor Talat Naseer Pasha said the university had a history of 133 years of excellence. “The UVAS has provided resources and skills for human resource development in the livestock sector,” he said.
Pasha said the university was offering courses in veterinary and animal sciences, animal production and technology, biotechnology, microbiology, pharmaceutical sciences, food and nutrition sciences, environmental sciences, zoology, economics and business management. The university has so far produced 138 PhDs, 1,795 MPhils and master’s and 4,866 bachelor’s graduates.
The vice chancellor said scientists from the UVAS were working on 72 research projects costing Rs858 million. Faculty members have published 413 papers in various journals this year. “The UVAS offers wide-ranging services to the stakeholders. These include diagnostics facilities, clinical and extension services, vaccine production, consultancy and advisory and regulations and policy framework,” Pasha said.
He said the university had started work on a Rs980 million project to enhance research facilities at its Ravi Campus, Pattoki. Work has also started on a Rs3 billion project of establishing Cholistan University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Bahawalpur, with the technical collaboration of Selcuk University and Ankara University, Turkey.
Pasha said work on the establishment of Para-Veterinary School in Narowal was also underway. The government has provided Rs195.280 million for the purpose. With the assistance of the Punjab Enabling Environment project of the USAID, the university has established the first-ever Centre for Applied Policy Research in Livestock. The UVAS has prepared Livestock Vision 2025 for the government, he said.
Published in The Express Tribune, November 24th, 2015.
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