Islamabad, Federal Minister for Education, Madad Ali Sindhi, emphasized the crucial role of education in the progress of a country at a conference held at the International Islamic University, Islamabad (IIUI). The conference, titled “Revolutionizing Higher Education: Reconciling Required & Acquired Learning,” brought together national and international scholars to present papers and discuss educational strategies.
According to International Islamic University, Islamabad, Minister Sindhi highlighted the impact of the digital revolution on learning methods, stressing the importance of utilizing technology in education. He expressed the view that education is the key to building a strong, stable, and prosperous society and should be a top priority for the nation.
The conference, organized by IIUI’s Faculty of Education in collaboration with IQRA University and Intentional Centre of Excellence, featured debates on integrating skill-based education in higher education. Discussions focused on addressing long-standing educational issues such as inequality, learning poverty, economic insecurity, and exclusion of non-degree program youth from the job market.
Prof. Dr. Mukhtar Ahmed, Chairman of the Higher Education Commission (HEC), noted that no country can progress without investing in education. He emphasized the potential of youth to change a nation’s destiny and highlighted Pakistan’s success in securing maximum scholarships for Europe in the previous year. Dr. Ahmed also spoke about the need for technology and AI-based learning, and the response of HEC to the challenges posed by the global pandemic.
Rector IIUI, Dr. Samina Malik, emphasized the necessity of training teachers in contemporary teaching methods and adopting innovative approaches to compete globally. She praised HEC’s role in revolutionizing higher education through modern education modes and training.
Keynote addresses were delivered by Mr. Muhammad Azfar Ahsan, Founder and CEO of Nutshell Group, and Prof. Dr. Graham Spickett-Jones. The conference also featured discussions by President of IQRA University, Karachi, Dr. Nassar Ikram, Vice President of Academics Prof. Dr. Abdul Raheman, and Dean Faculty of Education, Dr. Muhammad Sarwar.
Azfar Ahsan highlighted the alarming issue of 28 million children in Pakistan being out of school and deprived of vocational training. Dr. Graham focused on the effective use of media in conjunction with the education sector to shape the future through education.
The conference aims to bring forth recommendations for strategies and policies on innovative teaching approaches and techniques. It includes extensive discussions on transforming higher educational curriculum, practices, and outcomes, along with the transformative power of education and the future of youth.