RECORDER REPORT

HYDERABAD: The Vice Chancellor of Mehran University of Engineering and Technology (MUET) Jamshoro Prof Dr Mohammad Aslam Uqaili has said that applied research in water is need of the day to overcome the water challenges faced by Pakistan.

He expressed these remarks while speaking as chief guest at the welcome and orientation ceremony for the second batch of MS students of US-Pakistan Center for Advanced Studies in Water (USPCAS-W) held at MUET Jamshoro on Monday.

In order to tackle the water crisis of Pakistan, he said USPCAS-W has been established in MUET with financial assistance of the American people through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and technical support provided by University of Utah (UU), United States.

He said that USPCAS-W is a state-of-the-art water research centre of Pakistan, dedicated to contribute in resolving water crisis of the country through applied research, developing human capital, and academia-industry collaboration and policy formulation.

While congratulating the students of the new batch of the centre, Dr Uqaili said that they should take maximum benefit of the facilities provided by MUET to cater their study and research needs.

He said that after getting their MS/PhD degrees, they shall become quality professionals and serve as MUET ambassadors in building bridge between the academia and industry.

On the occasion, Prof Dr Bakhshal Khan Lashari said that importance of water is global and there is dire need of high quality professionals to tackle the water issues faced by today’s world in general and Pakistan in particular.

He said that USPCAS-W at MUET with the support of USAID and UU trying its best to produce water leaders in the field of water. Keeping in view the significance of water and sanitation, two-year MS programme in Water, Sanitation, and Health Sciences (WaSHS) has also been introduced from this year.

He informed the students about the benefits of the project including Rs 15000 per month stipend, transport, and hostel accommodation for female students.

Later, Dr Kamran Ansari, Deputy Project Director gave presentation regarding the academic rules, code of conduct and MUET and UU partnership along with internship opportunities and other facilities provided by the project.

Among others, Prof Dr Tauha Hussain Ali, Pro-Vice Chancellor, Prof Dr Hafeez-ur-Rahman Memon, Dean Faculty of Engineering, Dr Rafique Ahmed Chandio, Director Administration USPCAS-W, Shabnam Baloch, Gender and Communication Specialist UU, USPCAS-W faculty and other staff of the Center also attended the ceremony.