The Higher Education Commission (HEC) organised a two-day conference in connection with the launch of ‘CPEC Consortium of Business Schools’ at the National University of Sciences and Technology (NUST), Islamabad.
The conference was aimed at setting the course of academic collaboration between the two countries. Federal Interior Minister Ahsan Iqbal was the chief guest for the closing ceremony. China Association of Higher Education (CAHE) President Du Yubo, HEC Executive Director Dr Arshad Ali, CPEC Consultant Lt Gen (r) Muhammad Asghar were also present.
The conference was attended by representatives of nine top-ranking Chinese universities, including seven members of the C9 League, an alliance of nine elite universities in mainland China, besides leadership of partner universities from Pakistan.
Speaking on the occasion, Iqbal termed the CPEC Consortium of Business Schools another step forward towards successful execution of CPEC. “CPEC is the start of a new era in the region,” he said, adding that almost $36 billion of the CPEC investment has been allocated for energy projects in Pakistan.
He said that China was a role model for Pakistan to make economic progress. “An economic miracle is no rocket science, it is a common sense that we need to learn from China,” he underlined.
The minister elaborated that business schools will have a very vital role in promoting business-to-business relations between Pakistan and China. He said that the platform of this consortium will be very useful for this purpose.
Describing the significance of consortium, DU Yubo said that scholars from nine leading Chinese universities, with representatives of 10 Pakistani institutions, will pave the way for extensive collaboration between Pakistan and China.
He assured that CAHE will take all possible steps for effective coordination. “The two sides have to gather all their resources and mobilise professors and students to work for success of CPEC,” he emphasised.
In his remarks, Arshad Ali said that incorporating human resource development in CPEC was a big initiative for ensuring success of all the development projects. He hoped that the consortium will set a ground for enhanced academic collaboration.
Earlier, Lt Gen (r) Muhammad Asghar announced a joint declaration adopted in the conference. He revealed seven areas under focus in the long-term plan, devised to integrate economies of the two countries under CPEC. He said, “These areas include connectivity, energy, industries and industrial parks, agriculture and food security, development of coastal region and marine resources, improvement in livelihood of people, and financial cooperation and border management.”
‘CPEC Consortium of Business Schools’ of the two countries will focus on issues of economics and management. The business schools will be assigned projects to assist the two governments in the development and operation of CPEC.