Student Exchange Program Agreement Signing Ceremony Between COMSATS University Islamabad and University of Regina, Canada, and Symposium on Experiential Learning in Higher Education
Islamabad, February 18, 2025: The Student Exchange Program Agreement (SEPA) Signing Ceremony between CUI and the University of Regina (U of R), Canada, along with a Symposium on Experiential Learning in Higher Education, was held on February 18, 2025, at Islamabad Campus. The event brought together faculty members, students along with the International Office team, while virtual participants included the Acting Consul General of Pakistan in Vancouver, Directors of CUI Campuses, focal persons of the International Office, and Canadian alumni from various CUI campuses. Dr. Jeff Keshen, President and Vice-Chancellor, U of R and Mr. Haroon Chaudhry, Associate Vice-President (International), Chief International Officer & U of R Focal Person participated physically who travelled all the way from Canada to Pakistan for one of this purpose.
Dr. Hammad Omer, T.I., Head International Office and CUI Focal Person U of R, delivered the welcome remarks and an overview of the University. He highlighted that the engagements between CUI and U of R, are built on a shared commitment to academic excellence and international collaboration. He highlighted that the MoU, signed on February 23, 2024, with due approval from the Government of Pakistan, serves as a milestone in strengthening institutional ties and provides a strategic foundation for future joint initiatives. He elaborated on the SEPA, designed to foster global education and mutual understanding. Key features of SEPA include a five-year renewable term, an annual exchange quota of three undergraduate students with flexible balancing, eligibility criteria requiring students to have completed one year (CUI) or 30 credit hours (U of R) of undergraduate study, and a nomination process where the host institution retains final admission authority. Additionally, students will remain enrolled in their home institutions, with tuition paid there while being exempt from tuition fees at the host institution.
He also highlighted the success of CUI’s collaboration with the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (UIUC) and North Dakota State University (NDSU), where 45 and 29 CUI scholars, respectively, completed their PhDs and now serve as faculty members at CUI. Dr. Omer proposed similar arrangements with U of R and outlined potential collaboration opportunities, including scientific and research partnerships, faculty exchange programs, engagement with Canadian funding agencies, participation in each other’s academic events, and faculty visits under the fully funded HEC Faculty Exchange Program.
Following this, Mr. Haroon Chaudhry, Associate Vice-President (International), Chief International Officer, and U of R Focal Person, presented an overview of the University of Regina and spoke on "Institutional Engagement of the University of Regina in Pakistan." He encouraged CUI students to participate in Mitacs Globalink Research Internships at U of R. A keynote speech on "Experiential Learning in Higher Education" was delivered by Dr. Jeff Keshen, President and Vice-Chancellor of U of R, followed by a Q&A session where Canadian alumni, faculty, and students actively engaged in discussions. Dr. Tahir Ali Akbar, a Canadian alumnus at CUI, proposed strong collaborations in civil engineering, environmental engineering, faculty exchange programs, and remote sensing and earth sciences, while Dr. Waseem Haider, Tenured Associate Professor at Biosciences Department of Islamabad Campus of the University discussed about the potential collaborations in liberal arts.
The formal signing of the SEPA took place, with Dr. Tahir Naeem, Director P&D/HRD of CUI, signing on behalf of the Rector of CUI, and Dr. Jeff Keshen signing on behalf of U of R. His Excellency Mr. Ghulam Hussain, Acting Consul General of Pakistan in Vancouver, joined virtually and emphasized the importance of strengthening people-to-people ties between Canada and Pakistan. He expressed confidence that the agreement would pave the way for joint research initiatives, faculty exchanges, and student mobility programs, assuring full support from the Consulate General of Pakistan for this collaboration.
In his closing remarks on behalf of the Rector of CUI, Dr. Tahir Naeem underscored the significance of academic partnerships, highlighting the insights shared during the event. He reiterated that SEPA reinforces the commitment of both institutions to global education, cross-cultural academic exchanges, and enriching student learning experiences. He extended appreciation to the distinguished delegates from U of R, the Acting Consul General of Pakistan, CUI faculty and officials, and the International Office for their dedication in ensuring the success of this initiative. He further elaborated on the role of the Directorate of Planning, Development, and HRD, which has been instrumental in CUI’s growth and evolution. He highlighted the contributions of the Directorate, the implementation of development projects, and the university’s robust Human Resource Development (HRD) Program, which is one of the largest among Pakistani universities.
Dr. Naeem outlined proposals for collaboration, including a split-site PhD program, joint research initiatives in STEM fields, student and graduate training programs for employability, commercialization of research projects, joint conferences, and enhanced faculty and student linkages. He also emphasized the importance of fostering people-to-people contacts and leveraging international partnerships for academic and research excellence.
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