Category: Education

Haleeb Foods donates PKR 1 Million to Master Ayub in a bid to promote education

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Lahore (Muhammad Yasir) Haleeb Foods (HFL) one of the pioneer dairy and beverages company of Pakistan delivers PKR 1 million financial assistance collected through its social-development initiative “Donate to Educate – Agay Barhay Ga Pakistan”. To support Free of Cost Education for children of underprivileged communities, Haleeb had partnered with Master Ayub for this cause. For the past 30 years, Master Ayub has been educating street children, Free of Cost, in a Park-School, in Islamabad.

With a pledge to provide financial assistance to Master Ayub, to support his selfled cause, Haleeb initiated a campaign to donate 3 rupees, per liter pack purchased by a consumer. This donation of PKR 1 million from HFL is aimed to assist Master Ayub in accomplishing his lifelong dream of making proper schooling and its associated expenses absolutely free for his pupil.

Farah Asim, Head of Corporate Communications at Haleeb Foods added, “We strongly believe that an educated youth promises a brighter future for Pakistan. Our association with Master Ayub gave us a unique sense of pride with each step we took in the direction. Being a Pakistani company we hope to inspire every resourceful business entity and individual to support the cause of education, Parhay ga Pakistan to aagay barhay ga Pakistan.”

While receiving the donation cheque Master Ayub said “It is a moment of utmost happiness for me and these children who sit on the ground and are yet so keen to learn. HFL is the first business entity that has approached me in these 30 years with a proper plan to support a cause that is so close to my heart. The excitement that the children and I share as of now has no match, as my lifelong dream of empowering our children comes true.”

Belonging to a poor family, Master Ayub lost his parents at a young age. However, he worked very hard, to study along with the responsibility of rearing his 5 brothers and 3 sisters who are all well-educated now. With his limited resources he has created a free-school for poor children, where he also gives them free books and copies. Over the decades, thousands of children have studied in this school to get into respectable employment or businesses, while others are getting higher education in colleges or universities.

The students and their parents express their gratitude and prayers for Master Ayub, who has transformed their lives. They believe that; Haleeb kay Saath – Agay Barhay Ga Pakistan. Many students are inspired to follow their great teacher’s footsteps.

 

IDP Education Pakistan to launch Virtual Education Showcase from the 14th-22nd September 2020

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The best thing to consider if you are planning to study abroad is to get an insight into all the required processes and the value that degree will add to your professional career. One such platform which helps aspiring students pick the right path is IDP, International Education Specialists.

IDP Education is a world leader in international student placement services and a leading event management company of global education events and conferences. With a network of over 100 international student placement centers, IDP has a global presence in more than 32 countries. IDP Pakistan in associations with its partner institutions in UK, Australia, and Canada is brining an informative and engaging panel discussions to help you find answers to all your questions about studying overseas and consequently make an informed decision. This year IDP is holding free sessions virtually from 14th to 22nd September 2020. 

The IDP 2020 Virtual Showcase is an amazing opportunity for current and potential students to discover their dream programme or to get a feel of other suitable higher education options. The first of its kind IDP Virtual Showcase consists of representatives and faculty members from Australia, UK, and Canada to share their perspective and insights on a broad range of topics in their areas of expertise such as studying and living abroad, career specialization, academic and professional success with degrees, universities career and employability support for international students, admissions, scholarships, educational expense, and much more. 

International education, whether its undergraduate, postgraduate, or Ph.D. degree, or even a short course is a chance only a few students get. It’s a gateway to exploring the world while concurrently refining oneself and future employment opportunities. 

Choosing to study abroad is no doubt a huge decision, and that’s why events like IDP virtual showcase exist, to help those looking to refine their educational journey and open doors to their dream careers. 

Representatives at the virtual event will help you decide which university to choose based on your credentials. Even if you are undecisive about whether to study abroad at all, they are there to offer general advice on how it can be beneficial for you. These experts are just a click away from turning your dream into reality.  

If you are planning to study abroad, then you need to choose your program, destination, and university very wisely. Tune in to explore the world of opportunities with IDP.

Limited places are available, so hurry up and book your slot now to join the discussions in your preferred destination. Check out this link to find out more and register https://www.idp.com/pakistan/virtual-showcase/

You can also register for your preferred country by directly using the below links. 

ICAP, IBA laid foundation of Research Unit (IIRU)

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(Muhammad Yasir) Lahore 6th September 2020,

The Institute of Chartered Accountants of Pakistan (ICAP) and Institute of Business Administration (IBA)  laid the foundation of exclusive ICAP-IBA Research Unit (IIRU)  on Friday 4th September with aim to promote research in the field of accounting and finance.

The two institutes expressed their intention to promote research and development in Pakistan by attracting and retaining outstanding scholars having research interest in the areas relevant to the profession, including finance, accounting, auditing, corporate governance and taxation.

ICAP and IBA sponsors of the IIRU will provide the requisite funding, in shape of grants to the research candidates. The Unit will focus on action-oriented research, which is expected to create value and impact for relevant stakeholders. Through this initiative ICAP members, students and renowned researchers will work together as team to foster culture of research.

Mr. Khalilullah Shaikh, President ICAP speaking on the occasion said both institutes share the common vision of serving public interest and ICAP-IBA Research Unit (IIRA) is a great step in this direction. ICAP has been striving to foster culture of research in CAs and IIRU will help contribute towards this area.

Dr. Syed Akbar Zaidi, Executive Director IBA welcomed President ICAP to IBA. He expressed his gratitude that leading professional body has come forward to become a partner for research and development. He said that the collaboration between the leading university and professional accounting body in the field of research will be beneficial for the research fraternity and Pakistani society.

The specific unit will promote research and development by attracting and retaining outstanding scholars relevant to the profession of finance, accounting, auditing, corporate governance and taxation.

The ICAP and IBA will provide the requisite funding to the unit in the shape of grants and focus on action-oriented rese¬arch to create value and impact for relevant stakeholders.

Launch of HABIBMETRO Scholarship award at the IBA Karachi

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Provision of financial assistance to 2 NTHP students

Support will cover all admission, tuition, hostel and mess charges

Karachi (Muhammad Yasir)  The Habib Metropolitan Bank Limited (HMBL) launched HABIBMETRO Scholarship Award at an MOU signing ceremony held at the IBA Karachi. The President & CEO HMBL, Mr. Mohsin Ali Nathani, and the Executive Director, IBA Karachi, Dr. S Akbar Zaidi signed the agreement through which two (2) undergraduate students from the IBA National Talent Hunt Program (NTHP) will be financed for the duration of their studies.

As per the agreement, the scholarships will be awarded on a need-cum-merit basis, keeping in view, the applicants’ academic record, and financial circumstances. The scholarship will cover all educational expenses including admission, tuition, hostel, and mess charges.

Commenting on the initiative, Mr. Nathani said, “We are pleased to further the philanthropic legacy of HABIBMETRO Bank and partner with the IBA in contributing towards making quality education affordable to meritorious and deserving students. We look forward to engaging with the scholarship recipients during their stay at the IBA.”

Dr. Zaidi appreciated the initiative of the Bank and remarked that meritorious students belonging to the underprivileged regions will be benefited from this scholarship award. Dr. Zaidi said, “The inclusive nature of the IBA allows hundreds of students from financially challenged background every year to partake in higher education at the institute and donors like HMBL help them realize their dreams.”

 

Google’s CloudSeekho program celebrates first batch of 350 graduates

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Participants from 13 cities across the country ready to take on new job opportunities

Lahore (Muhammad Yasir) Google recently held a virtual graduation event celebrating the first cohort of graduates from its inaugural Google Cloud student developer program in Pakistan.

Called CloudSeekho, the initiative by Google is aimed at helping students learn cloud skills at home at their own pace and prepare themselves with job-ready skills.

The initiative consists of self-study online labs provided by Google’s QwikLabs platform for student developers in Pakistan where they are able to learn cloud skills and technologies on Google Cloud Platform.

Launched in June, the first season of the initiative saw more than 5,000 registered student developers from across Pakistan of which 350 completed the program after a total of 22,500 Developer Hours learned.

“These past six months have been a period of adjustment and recovery for Pakistanis, and we at Google are glad to be able to help folks get authoritative information around COVID-19, assist e-learning to continue with free tools and resources, and help upskill Pakistanis through our Grow with Google initiative,” said Farhan Qureshi, Country Head for South Asia, Google Asia Pacific.
“CloudSeekho is the most recent example of how leaned-in we are to help with the country’s economic recovery and people’s skills development to cater to rising levels of digital sophistication,” he added.

The second season of CloudSeekho is set to launch in September. For more information regarding CloudSeekho visit https://events.withgoogle.com/cloudseekho/.

In addition to CloudSeekho, Google is supporting students in Pakistan through its Developer Student Clubs program through which 43 students leads have been chosen from across 13 cities to create technology learning clubs. University students join these clubs to build leadership skills, connect with experts and to enhance their skills.

 

 

HEC and Huawei to Quadruple ICT Training Program

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Lahore (Muhammad Yasir) The Huawei ICT Academy program will increase the number of training slots for Pakistani students four fold, from 800 per year to over 3,000 per year. A strategic Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to this effect was signed between the Higher Education Commission (HEC) and Huawei Technologies Pakistan.

Under the MoU, Huawei ICT Academies will be established in eight new universities,which will join existing 15 academies by the end of 2020, bringing the total number of universities to 23. In addition, the Training Academies in 5 of the existing universities will be upgraded. The program will provide important support for the government’s Digital Pakistan initiative.

Chairman HEC Tariq Banuri graced the virtual signing ceremony as chief guest. The event was also attended by Parliamentary Secretary for Federal Ministry of Education and Professional TrainingMs. WajihaAkram, Executive Director HEC Dr. Fateh Marri, Vice President, Public Affairs and Communications, Huawei Middle East Li Xiangyu (Spacelee), and a large number of Vice Chancellors.

Addressing the ceremony, Chairman HEC said that the government is keen to bring about the technological transformation of the country, especially through the Digital Pakistan initiative, and the Huawei ICT Academy Programwill provide a great contribution to this objective.

He said that the program also supports HEC’scommitment to investing in the practical skills of Pakistani youth. He mentioned that HEC has launched the new undergraduate education policy,which includes a major focus on enhancing practical learning. “The new undergraduate program will offer students a menu of options to acquire practical skills, including through internships, entrepreneurial training, participation in social clubs, and sports. IT skills have become essential for future success in every field of endeavor.

The Chairman advised the Vice Chancellors to leverage the opportunities provided by the Huawei ICT Academy Program, not only to enhance students’ skills, but also to harness technologies in the universities operations, developing collaboration with other universities, and mobilizing revenues.

He concluded by saying that the MoU was a milestone in the longstanding relationship with Huawei, and is a reflection and reaffirmation of the deep-seated friendship between Pakistan and China. “Each step that we, the Pakistani and Chinese entities, take will further strengthen the Pakistan-China relations”.

Ms. Akramcongratulated the HEC and Huawei on taking forward the ICT Academy Program. She said the academia-enterprise cooperation projects, like the Huawei ICT Academy Program, will help build the ICT talent ecosystem in Pakistan.“I would like to thank Huawei technologies for their efforts and investment in Pakistan, and entrusting our youth, specifically those from the rural areas.”
Mr. Spacelee said Huawei has, for many years, been privileged to contribute to the development of Pakistan’s ICT ecosystem together with local partners like HEC. “We are excited to be working with HEC again to expand the opportunities available through the Huawei ICT Academy.” He appreciated HEC’s proactive leadership in the promotion of the digital economy in Pakistan.
Earlier, Dr. Marri shed light on the background of Huawei ICT Academy Program. He said that 800 students have been trained through the program on yearly basis, and that the MoU will provide an opportunity to increase the number to over 3,000 per year. He stated that HEC and Huawei have a shared motive to extend services and expertise in the field of IT and Communications.

The Huawei ICT Academy Program is a global initiative aimed at promotion of ICT technology skills. The program was launched by HEC and Huawei in 2017. It features industry-academia linkages and cooperation with universities in different countries for development, training and certification. It is based on Huawei’s advanced technologies in the ICT area and leading market solutions.

Twenty six universities submitted their proposals to the HEC for joining the program. Following an open and competitive selection process, eight universities were chosen to host the next set of ICT Academies. Theseare Mirpur University of Science and Technology, University of Central Punjab, Muhammad Nawaz Sharif Agricultural University, Khawaja Fareed UET, Usman Institute of Technology, Sindh Madressatul Islam University, UET Peshawar and the University of Peshawar. The five existing academies which will be upgraded, based on their past performance, are COMSATS University Islamabad, NUST, UET, NED University of Engineering and Technology, and Ghulam Ishaq Khan Institute (GIKI).

Pearson launches PTE Academic UKVI in Pakistan; a UK Home Office approved English test for people applying to study, work or live in the UK

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Lahore (Muhammad Yasir)  Pearson launched PTE Academic UKVI in a virtual launch event in Pakistan. Pearson, the world’s leading learning company was awarded
commercial agreements from the UK Home Office to provide Secure
English Language Tests (SELTs) to people who need to demonstrate their
English language skills to study, work or live in the UK.

The commercial agreements will be delivered through the PTE Academic
UKVI and PTE Home – a new speaking and listening test for family visa,
settlement and citizenship applicants. Both these English language
tests have been internally developed by Pearson.

PEARSON, is the UK’s largest awarding body regulated by Ofqual and the
history of Pearson goes back to 1836, that makes it around 184 years
old institute. It marked its foot prints in Pakistan around two
decades ago. Currently its Head Office is in Lahore with five fully
functioning departments. It offers Edexcel Academic qualifications,
BTECs qualifications, K12 School Resources, Higher Educations
resources (both digital and printed), and Pearson Test of English
Academic (PTE Academic).

PTE Academic and PTE UKVI offer online test booking 24 hrs ahead of a
test and the results being published within 5 days. Fully Computer
based assessments mean that PTE scoring and assessment is objective
and consistent. PTE Academic and UKVI are also recognized by a large
number of universities in Australia, New Zealand, UK, Canada, Malaysia
and Germany.

Due to COVID 19 this launch was organized virtually on 19 Aug 2020.
Launch was graced by Her Excellency, Alison Blackburn – The British
Deputy High Commissioner for Pakistan (Acting British High
Commissioner) along with Ms Olivia Campbell – Deputy Director,
Department for International Trade, British High Commission, Mr. Joe
Lam – Managing Director South Asia,

Ms. Freya Thomas – SVP English Assessment, Ms. Premila Paulraj-
Director Business Development South Asia, Ms. Muna Mazhar, Head of
Market Development and Mr. Waqar Shah-Country Head, Pearson Pakistan.

During the launch British High Commission emphasized the importance of
Pakistan for Great Britain as a destination for Pakistani students and
workers.

Acting High Commissioner Alison Blackburne said: “Great Britain offers
a truly world-class education – with four of the world’s top ten
universities – and this test from Pearson is a great option for those
applying for UK student and work visas. We understand education has
the power to transform lives, and that is why we are working at every
level here in Pakistan to increase access to education. By supporting
the UK-Pakistan historic relationship in this way, we are working as
partners in building a prosperous and a sustainable future.”

Currently test centres for PTE Academic UKVI are available in
Islamabad and Lahore. There are plans to open test centres in other
key cities including Karachi.

The fully digital test is delivered through Pearson VUE. The latest AI
technology is used for scoring; biometric data collection provides
enhanced security measures and voice recognition software is applied
for the speaking element of the test. These cutting-edge technologies
ensure the provision of an impartial and highly accurate test of
people’s English language proficiency.

Rod Bristow, President of Pearson UK, said: “We are proud that the UK
Government joins the Australian and New Zealand Governments in
recognising this test for visa applications, alongside thousands of
leading universities across the globe who already accept it for study
purposes – including more than 98% UK universities.

Students and immigrants are glad that now PTE Academic UKVI is
available in Pakistan approved by the UK Govt for all kinds of visas.

Asghar Nadeem Syed talks about intellectual needs of our children

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Lahore (Muhammad Yasir) The Little Art conducted an enlightening conversation session with veteran playwright, poet,renowned intellectual  and educationist Asghar Nadeem Syed, entitled ” meeting the intellectual needs of our children”  the provision of local literature, children’s programming on television and offering of performing arts for children and young people in Pakistan. The talk went live online through Facebook on Friday Evening.
On talking about the intellectual needs of children, Asghar Nadeem said quote, “Why do we see children as a separate group from the society? Children have complete personalities of their own. They have a gift of sensibility from Allah Almighty instilled within them. It’s a different debate on whether they are able to express what’s in them or not. They can feel and sense everything around them. Parents and society should understand the needs of the children, that is a basic good and positive environment.”
Asghar Nadeem Syed on quality of literature state that, “Children need aesthetics, so when something unaesthetic comes in their hands, they immediately reject it. While the books are being printed, the literature in them itself isn’t appealing to children. It is difficult to reach to the psychology of children and creative literature workshops in Pakistan should have a proper approach in order to understand and create quality literature for them.”
Sharing a message on national identity, Asghar Nadeem Syed said that your national identity is there with you and is always going to benefit you, but at the same time that doesn’t mean that you limit yourself to that and shut your eyes to everything beyond. There is talent, but it is not being portrayed properly. One should experience, access, influence and assimilate and express freely.
As a message to teachers and parents, Asghar Nadeem said, “Do not mold your children your way. Facilitate children, and inspire them, and the child will learn on their own.”
The thought provoking session was part of series of live talks hosted by Shoaib Iqbal , founder Little Art . The Live Talks brings painters, filmmakers, designers, performing artists, dancers, sculptors, calligraphers, photographers, writers and musicians to talk to parents, children and youth through a series of conversations on weekends. They are informal talks that share the artists’ journeys, stories from childhood, why art for children and youth, the process of creation, where to begin as artist, future for youth as artists and art spaces and institutions.
The Little Art is a non –profit organization working for promoting arts education and providing creative learning opportunities to children and young people in Pakistan.

First-Generation Students from TCF Make Their Way to Top-Tier Universities of Pakistan

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Lahore (Muhammad Yasir) As university admissions begin throughout the country, deserving graduates from The Citizens Foundation (TCF) schools from all over Pakistan are making their way to some of the top-tier higher education institutions of the country.

The Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS) and Institute of Business Administration (IBA) announced their admission results this month. 4 TCF alumni secured admission and scholarship under the LUMS – National Outreach Programme, while 8 TCF graduates made it to IBA on scholarship as part of its National Talent Hunt Programme. Other renowned universities where TCF graduates have successfully gained admissions include – Institute of Business Management (IoBM), Habib University and SZABIST. Over the next few months, as more universities conduct their entrance tests, TCF is expecting that many more of its graduates will be offered admissions and scholarships at other private and government universities as well as colleges. 

“To break the barriers of class and privilege, low-income students must make it to good universities and colleges. TCF, for the past 25 years, is making strides toward this goal,” TCF’s President and CEO, Syed Asaad Ayub Ahmad said while commenting on this achievement of TCF graduates. “We are so proud that our alumni are attending some of the top-ranked educational institutions of the country,” he added further.

Right now, 100% of TCF alumni who get enrolled in undergraduate colleges are first-generation learners – the first in their family to go to college! For all of them, it means the chance to change the trajectory of their entire families’ and community’s future.

Telenor Pakistan Collaborates with NUST Business School on Design Thinking Skills Training

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Lahore (Muhammad Yasir) In line with itsambition to support e-education, upskill the youthand create opportunities for them, Telenor Pakistan has collaborated with NUST Business School to train students on design thinking skills. 1,000 aspiring students will take part in webinar style trainingsunderTelenor Pakistan’s flagship design thinking programme ACTIVATE.

ACTIVATE is a design-driven innovation process whereby critical business problems can be solved by bringing together business strategy, innovation, behavioural science and design thinking.

This design thinking programme will be free of cost and customised for the students of NUST Business School, to upskill them on designing products that drive value while fostering innovation in business. Being a creative and innovation focused process, it  can be used in multiple levels of education.

This virtual workshop will be a learning experience for the students focused on instilling an innovator’s mindset. The students will learn about the design thinking process and how this methodology can be used to find solutions to critical business questions. The training will equip and develop students with the relevant and transformative skillset required for the digital future.

“Young minds across the world are finding solutions to everyday challenges through technology, bringing convenience to life along with simplicity and efficiency to business processes.”, said Sardar Abubakr, Chief Digital & Strategy Officer at Telenor Pakistan. “We at Telenor Pakistan have always been a strong proponent of empowering youth with the latest skills. Being cognizant of their challenges, we have designed  thisprogramme to equip them with essential and creative skills to deal creatively with challenges, evaluate different strategies and opportunities, and propel their careers further.”

The increasing complexity of technology and modern business demands creative problem-solvers with aptitudes for compassion, nonlinear imagination, and risk-taking. As business schools continue to advance their teaching methods, Telenor Pakistan wants to embed design-based thinking skills that are becoming an important tool to prepare tomorrow’s business leaders.