ISLAMABAD, Pakistan: In its efforts to bring about development in the less developed region, the government would establish FATA University at a total cost of Rs1.489 billion with a Foreign Exchange Component (FEC) of Rs.277.25 million.
The university, to be completed in five years, will provide an equal opportunity to about 2,000 students of the area to acquire higher education in the next five to seven years, and the process will continue.
The undergraduate programmes at the University will be offered collaboratively.
The Central Development Working Party (CDWP) has already accorded approval for the project, according to official sources in the Ministry of Planning, Development and Reforms here on Monday.
Meanwhile, a project `Afghanistan Scholarship Programme (ASP) at the Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS) – total cost of Rs 306 million – will be jointly funded by the governments of Pakistan and Afghanistan, and will be funded outside the PSDP from the grant pledged by the Pakistani government for the rehabilitation and reconstruction of the neighbouring country.
Two-thirds of the cost will be incurred by the Pakistan government. This project will be completed in five years and 100 Afghani students will benefit from this.
The scholarship will cover almost all costs of stay and study, including medical and accident insurance whereas placement of the selected students will be made by the HEC.
It has been aimed at developing people-to-people contacts between the two countries, leadership qualities among the Afghan youth and human resource for reconstruction of Afghanistan.
The Ministry of Planning, Development and Reforms has also approved a faculty development programme for Pakistani universities which was referred to the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council.
The scheme will be carried out with a total cost of Rs 7,081.99 million with an FEC portion of Rs 3,170.16 million and a PSDP allocation during the current fiscal year is Rs 50 million.
Scholarships will be provided to 2,000 teachers in five years.
Besides this, the project will help promote research culture in the Pakistani universities by increasing PhDs, MPhils and research papers.
After completion of their PhDs, 2,000 faculty members will enter into research-oriented jobs, leading to formation of a critical mass of high tech researchers.
Source: APP
