The Ambassadors of the Islamic countries meet in Islamabad on January 15, 2015. The meeting was attended by the Ambassadors from the Republic of Tunisia, State of Palestine, Kyrgyztan, Nigeria, State of Qatar, Republic of Yemen, Republic of Iraq, and the Republic of Azerbaijan. The meeting was also attended by the Chairman, Higher Education Commission, Rector, COMSATS Institute of Information Technology and other senior officials of the Higher Education Commission and COMSATS Institute of Information Technology.
The meeting was organized in order to involve the embassies of Islamic countries for convening 3rd Vice Chancellors’ Forum, which is scheduled to be organized on February 23 – 24, 2015 at Islamabad, Pakistan. The theme for this year Vice Chancellors’ Forum is ‘Universities in the Islamic World: Facing Global Challenges’. The Vice Chancellors’ Forum is the congregation of the Vice Chancellors/ Rectors/ Presidents of the universities / higher education institutions of the Islamic world. It is expected to be attended by over 300 dignitaries.
The Chairman, Higher Education Commission addressing to the participants said that there is dire need of educating the youth among the Islamic countries. He emphasized that universities in the Islamic world should start dialog among the universities of the Islamic world. He shared one of his ideas to offer MS and PhD scholarships to the students studying in different universities in the Islamic world. This will create a pool of scholarships available to the youth of the Muslim Ummah. In addition, it will start exchange of students, faculty and researchers among the universities in the Islamic world.
The Rector, COMSATS Institute of Information Technology explained that the Vice Chancellors’ Forum is non-political platform of university leaders for fostering collaboration, strengthening cooperation and encouraging dialogue among the universities. The Vice Chancellors’ Forum will open avenues of international collaboration and interaction among universities of the Islamic world. Further, he requested the ambassadors to encourage the Vice Chancellors/ Presidents/ Rectors of the universities of their country to participate in the upcoming Vice Chancellors’ Forum.
Vice Chancellors’ Forum is third event being organized in series. The two earlier Forums were held to congregate Vice Chancellors/ Rectors/ Presidents of the universities in the Islamic world in September 2013 and June 2012 at Islamabad. Both events were well received with over whelming participation by the Vice Chancellors/ Rectors/ Presidents of the universities in the Islamic world.