An agreement was signed between Oil and Gas Development Company Limited (OGDCL) and Quaid-e-Azam University Islamabad on Monday to establish an OGDCL chair in the Department of Earth Sciences, QAU.
QAU Vice Chancellor Prof Dr Masoom Yasinzai and OGDCL Managing Director Masood Siddiqui signed the agreement.
Addressing the agreement signing ceremony, advisor to prime minister on petroleum and natural resources, Dr Asim said that the inauguration of the industrial chair sponsored by the OGDCL at QAU would not only help in bridging the gap between the university and the industry but it would also facilitate in carrying out the educational and research activities in areas of earth sciences that may lead to enhancing the activity of exploration in this country.
Dr Asim said OGDCL was a national organisation and was doing a great job in the exploration and production of oil and gas, making all efforts to meet the energy demand of the country.
“Quaid-e-Azam University is one of the leading universities of Pakistan. Its academia and other research areas are far ahead than other universities of the country,” he said.
Advisor to the prime minister said the current government was trying its best to fulfill the demands of the people for education and for the country. He also expressed his gratitude to the management of OGDCL for sponsoring this chair.
QAU Vice-Chancellor Prof Dr Masoom Yasinzai said during recent years, Quaid-e-Azam University had successfully attracted and retained its outstanding faculty, introduced diverse education and research programs, as well as established and strengthened different administrative offices.
“At QAU, particular emphasis is given to faculty development efforts to bring about improvement the in quality of teaching, besides promotion of research,” he said.
Dr Masoom said that QAU had successfully identified the avenues of resource generation through engaging philanthropists, alumni and by establishment of linkages with the industry. He lauded the establishment of the chair as a great contribution of OGDCL for the dissemination of knowledge.
Earlier, Department of Earth Sciences Chairperson Prof Dr Zulfiqar Ahmad briefed the participants about the objective of establishment of an OGDCL chair. He also highlighted the contribution of the Department of Earth Sciences for imparting quality education. He said the department had produced more than 300 graduates in geophysics who were working in OGDCL, Mari Petroleum Company Ltd, Eni Pakistan, OMV, PEL, POL, PPL, MOL, DGPC, BGP, and several other national and international organisations. He also thanked the managing director of OGDCL for the establishment of OGDCL chair at QAU. He said that a similar kind of chair was also established by the courtesy and support of the Chairman and CEO of Mari Petroleum Company Ltd, Lt Gen (R) Raza Muhammad Khan in May 2012.
