Lahore (May 08): Punjab University and British Institute of Technology and E-Commerce (BITE) have decided to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to collaborate in the fields of nanotechnology, biotechnology, information technology and business administration.

The decision was taken during BITE Team’s visit to Punjab University on Thursday. BITE delegation comprised Director Dr Muhammad Farmer, Quality Assurance Manager Prof Stephen Moore and its Country (Pakistan) Director Prof Dr Abdul Waheed Khan. The delegation called on PU Acting Vice-Chancellor Prof Azhar Ikram Ahmad at the vice-chancellor’s office and discussed issues of mutual interest.

Director External Linkages Prof Dr Najma Najam, Registrar Prof Dr Muhammad Naeem Khan and Prof Dr Rukhsana Kausar were also present on the occasion. The acting vice-chancellor briefed the delegation about various disciplines and faculty of the Punjab University. The both sides emphasized upon the need to establish collaboration between both educational institutions in the areas of research and student exchange programme.

The delegation also visited PU Department of Physics, Institute of Chemistry, Institute of Biochemistry & Biotechnology, Institute of Business Administration and Institute of Business & Information Technology. Institute of Chemistry Director Prof Dr Jamil Anwar gave a comprehensive briefing on the five years performance of the institute and later the delegation discussed the potential areas of collaboration between BITE and the institute. In Physics Department, Prof Dr Shaukat Ali briefed the delegation about the faculty and various programmes being offered in the department. Prof Azhar briefed the delegation about the scope of collaboration between PU Physics Department and BITE in the fields of nanotechnology. He asked Dr Farmer to thoroughly inform them about their areas of interest at which Dr Farmer said that they are interested in Applied Physics and academia-industry linkages. In Institute of Biochemistry & Biotechnology, Director Prof Dr Amin Athar briefed about the applications of nanotechnology in the institute and elaborated various achievements of the institute. He said that the institute was trying to establish a single step methodology for the purification of nano-particles.

Dr Amtul Jamil Sami briefed the Britishers about her PhD work on identification and purification of cellular and other areas of biotechnology. Dr Najma Najam said a researcher has to do a lot of paper work his/her research work funded. She said that there is a vast scope of collaboration between PU, IBB and the BITE. During their visit to the Institute of Business Administration, Prof Azhar Ikram took the British delegate to classes of various semesters and introduced them.

Dr Farmer and Dr Stephen put various queries before the students to know about their future objectives and career planning. Dr Farmer asked students to let how many of them want to do some part of their research work in UK at which many students raised their hands in ‘yes’. Dr Stephen urged the students to must start brainstorming and thinking process about their career planning, he especially asked students where they wanted to see themselves after five years. He said the students must focus on specific areas of their interest and avoid relying merely on scattered general ideas.

In Institute of Business & Information Technology, Dr Nayyar Raza Zaidi took the delegates to various classes, computer lab and library and gave a comprehensive briefing about the working of the institution. He told the delegation that their institute evaluate teachers after every semester and only those teachers are requested to continue their services whose evaluation is above average. He said when Dr Najma told Mr Zaidi about BITE offer of scholarship to PU students for six months stay and research work in UK, Dr Zaidi termed the offer ‘wonderful’ and said this would built confidence and boost personality of the students. In the end both sides agreed to sign a Memorandum of Understanding between PU and BITE on May 10 in PU.