Senior German Diplomat Visits COMSATS University Islamabad

Islamabad, Pakistan: A high-level German delegation, led by Mr. Jan Krausser, Head of Communications and Culture at the German Embassy, along with Ms. Shumaila Mubashir Abbasi visited COMSATS University Islamabad (CUI) on September 16, 2024. The primary objective of the visit was to introduce the newly appointed diplomat and engage with German alumni working at CUI.

During the visit, Dr. Hammad Omer T.I., Head of the International Office at CUI, highlighted the growing interest among CUI students in studying in Germany due to the absence of tuition fees in German universities. He also informed the delegation that 35 German alumni are currently working at CUI across its seven campuses.

The German delegation clarified the importance of German language proficiency for studying in German universities and offered to connect CUI with the Goethe Institute in Karachi to explore the possibility of providing German language courses. They also clarified that German university rankings may not accurately reflect the true quality of German universities due to their reliance on non-tuition fee models.

Dr. Hammad T.I. briefed the delegation on CUI's previous collaborations with German universities, such as the University of Bonn, TU-Berlin, Heidelberg University, etc. Mr. Arif Awan, Senior Program Officer at CUI, proposed initiating cultural activities to bridge the cultural gap between Germany and Pakistan.

German alumni discussed various practical challenges they faced, including tight application deadlines, customs procedures for equipment donations, and the need for more support for academics attending conferences and workshops in Germany. The possibility of providing industrial problems to CUI academics for research was also discussed.

Overall, the German delegation was impressed by CUI and expressed their commitment to promoting German alumni and encouraging more students to study in Germany. They also emphasized their willingness to support CUI in any way possible, including providing cultural sensitization programs and facilitating collaborations with German universities.