Tag: The University of Lahore

Lahore, April 07, 2023 (PPI-OT): The post-pandemic world has witnessed tremendous changes in the business environment and processes both locally and on a global level. To address these challenges, the Lahore Business School (LBS) organised the 4th International Conference on Business and Management under the theme: ‘Future challenges and opportunities under the new normal’. The conference was envisioned by Dr Rabeeya Raoof (Dean, Faculty of Management Sciences) as a means to bridge the academia-industry gap, which would facilitate the creation of new opportunities in the job market. The conference was held over a period of four days, starting with pre-conference trainings and a CEO forum, followed by two days encompassing keynote speakers, panel discussions, and parallel research sessions.

Pre-Conference Trainings

LBS organised pre-conference trainings aimed at different subjects that were in need of attention. These trainings were provided by renowned local and international academicians. These trainings began on March 17, 2023. Dr Imran Hameed (Professor at the Lahore School of Economics) provided training on multi-level modelling through M-Plus: Concepts and Applications, while Dr Ghulam Ali Arian (from LUMS) gave training on state-of-the-art

meta-analysis: dos and don’ts. Simultaneously, Dr Marco De Sisto (from RMIT) provided training on ‘Publishing in Mainstream Journals’.

CEO Forum

As part of the international conference, LBS also hosted a CEO Forum to provide an opportunity for liaison between academia and industry. The purpose of this event was to discuss the perspectives of industry experts on different topics relevant to the theme of the conference and provide the academicians and students with the opportunity to subsequently ask questions that would provide them with insight into the industry mind-set. It had two panel discussions: one on ‘Cultivating Talent of the New Generation’ and the other on

‘Operate with Purpose: Role of CSR in Building Up the Nation’.

Conference Day 1

The opening ceremony was initiated with the introduction and aim of the conference by the organisers. Dr Farooq Bajwa (the Head of the Centre for Research Excellence and the Conference Chair) gave his welcome note to the national and foreign dignitaries, stating that this was the 4th international conference held under the banner of Lahore Business School and that it was being held after a gap of a few years due to the pandemic of COVID-19.

It was followed by the welcome note of Prof Dr Khuram Shahzad (Head of Business School), who emphasised that the challenges under the new normal are enormous and cannot be solved individually. To ensure their resolution, there is need to collaborate with the international community to come up with solutions that could help us not only minimise the challenges but also positively utilise the opportunities as well, he said. Later, by Dr Raoof and Prof Dr Muhammad Ashraf (Rector, UOL) shared their views with the attendees. Mr Awais Raoof (Chairman, BoG) also welcomed all the national and international dignitaries for joining the international conference at the University of Lahore.

Afterwards, Dr Carolina Serrano Archimi (Aix-Marseille University, France) emphasised that business schools are an important element in supporting the community as they produce entrepreneurs who can change the trajectory of the economic crisis around the world. Dr Marco De Sisto (RMIT University, Melbourne, Australia) explained four stages that can lead to adaptation by organisations through different strategies. Then, panel discussion 1 began, which was based on “Revisiting Higher Education with Industry Collaborations”. Later on, Dr Ishrat Hussain (the former Governor of the State Bank of Pakistan) highlighted different effects of the pandemic that hit globally. His talk was followed by a second panel discussion on “SDG Roadmaps for Universities: Challenges under the New Normal”.

Conference Day 2

The conference day two had four keynote speeches and one panel discussion on the

‘Importance of Research in the Contemporary Business Environment’. During his keynote speech, Dr Ibrahim Alsedrah, a behavioural finance analyst and academician, explained that the art of financing is related to human psychology and how an individual’s mind-set affects their way of thinking when it comes to investing. Dr Helga Foure Joopen (Professor at ESC,

Clermont Business School, France) discussed the impact of COVID-19 on business organisations, especially small and medium enterprises (SMEs). Dr Shajara Ul Durar emphasised that we need to create innovative approaches that instil empathy as a part of them so that human-centred solutions may be applied. Dr Arshian Sharif gave a brief message to the upcoming researchers: aim big but start from the bottom. He suggested that they should focus on publishing their research work on any platform as a start and work towards impact factor journals. He also iterated that in today’s time there is a need to work on topics related to sustainable development. The conference ended with a closing ceremony in which the best research papers were given awards.

For more information, contact:
The University of Lahore
1 – KM Defence Road, Lahore, Pakistan
Tel: +92-42-111-865-865, +92-42-35322501 +92-42-35321761
Email: info@uol.edu.pk
Website: www.uol.edu.pk

Lahore, April 07, 2023 (PPI-OT): The University of Lahore (UOL) believes that cultural diversity is a driving force of development, not only with respect to economic growth but also as a means of leading a more fulfilling intellectual, emotional, moral, and spiritual life. It prioritises providing opportunities to students from different parts of the world to pursue their academic dreams at UOL. One of its international students, Rashad Fayez Ayaydah from Palestine, shared his experience of studying at UOL.

Mr. Ayaydah got admission to UOL on the basis of a scholarship. While sharing his story, he said, “At first, it was difficult for me to adjust to the language barrier in place. I started making friends with the local students, and it helped eradicate the problem as I learned the local language and became fluent. I have spent a reasonable amount of time in UOL, and looking back at the time when I joined, I feel that the university has provided me with an opportunity to explore my capabilities.”

“Apart from learning Urdu, I groomed myself to a level where the university allowed me to work in the Office of Student Affairs (OSA) as a student intern.” After completing my graduation in pharmacy, I was able to apply the knowledge gained in my practical life very effectively. I did an internship with a couple of pharmacies to gain more experience, which gave me good vibes that I will be able to do good for my community in the upcoming time. And thus, I also started my MPhil in pharmaceutics. I dreamt to have this degree, and once I graduate, I will be beaming with pride,” he explained.

“I met several amazing people here and found great mentors, who guided me so well in the beginning when I used to be so confused about everything since it was my first time being out of my country and in Pakistan. But the support from the university management and the OSA for me and all other international students was astonishing; it helped me chalk out my own path. The University always provides extraordinary support to promote international student culture on campus. This kept me motivated to achieve my dreams. Finally, I feel that it is inspirational that I worked through my struggles and successfully represented myself, my country, and my culture at the University of Lahore,” he said.

For more information, contact:
The University of Lahore
1 – KM Defence Road, Lahore, Pakistan
Tel: +92-42-111-865-865, +92-42-35322501 +92-42-35321761
Email: info@uol.edu.pk
Website: www.uol.edu.pk

Lahore, April 07, 2023 (PPI-OT): Emerging technologies and the digital transformation open up new business possibilities that deviate from conventional needs. Digital twins (DT), also known as digital replicas of physical entities, are evolving quickly and opening up new avenues for invention. Keeping up with trends in the general areas of computer science and information technology, the University of Lahore (UOL) invited international and local experts to the 4th International Conference on Advancements in Computational Sciences (ICACS 2023).

This mega-scale conference brought together the representatives of academia, researchers, students, scientists, and IT industrialists around the world to discuss advances, innovations, and newly emerging trends in computer science. They also discussed their novel ideas and latest research findings and illustrated how computer technologies are becoming central to shaping other fields on this platform. During the conference, Dr Ramona Trestian (Senior Lecturer in Computing, Middlesex University, UK) spoke on the topic of ‘Seeing Double? The Future of Digital Twins’ and explored the latest advancements in this field. Informing the participants about benefits, use cases, challenges, and opportunities, she said that applications of digital twin technology have been growing at an exponential rate and are transforming the way businesses operate.

She explained that digital twins encompass four key technologies: The Internet of Things (IoT), cloud computing, extended reality (XR), and artificial intelligence (AI). These technologies work together to create a virtual replica of a physical object or system and continuously update it with real-time data. She further maintained that applications of DT technology have been growing at an exponential rate and that it is transforming the way businesses operate.

Sharing specific DT projects from the London Digital Twin Research Centre, Dr Trestian shed light on their research work in Digital Twin for Industry 4.0 smart factories, Digital Twin for structural health monitoring, urban resilience in agriculture through highly automated vertical farming in Vietnam and the UK, developing connected curriculum on Digital Twin for health system resilience, a framework for restoration of heritage using Digital Twin (Fresh-DT), and Digital Twin for open RAN (5G and 6G networks). The UK’s senior university lecturer also discussed the current and future opportunities in health, industrial, and smart city management systems applications where this promising technology will be seen directly affecting daily lives. ‘Digital twins have started to take place in our lives in other civil fields as well as in industrial and engineering fields, with the advantages they offer in terms of time and cost,’ she mentioned.

On the other hand, many other foreign and renowned national researchers discoursed on various topics during the ICACS’23 conference. This conference extended the domain of computer science and information technology. The major conference sought research contributions in research paper formats for the ease of attendees at the event in all computational sciences domains. General areas of interest to ICACS’23 included but were not limited to: data sciences and knowledge systems; computer vision and pattern recognition; networks and communication technologies; software engineering; artificial intelligence and robotics; and security and privacy.

For more information, contact:
The University of Lahore
1 – KM Defence Road, Lahore, Pakistan
Tel: +92-42-111-865-865, +92-42-35322501 +92-42-35321761
Email: info@uol.edu.pk
Website: www.uol.edu.pk

Lahore, April 07, 2023 (PPI-OT): With the surge of spirituality in Ramadan, Muslims all across the globe make sure to fast and make the most out of this holy month. However, patients who are suffering from some serious medical issues struggle to keep up with the Ramadan spirit and fluster on managing their diseases along with fasting. Diabetes is one of those medical issues that requires patients to be hyperaware of their condition while fasting. Many diabetics have the fervour to fast in this holy month but fail to take necessary medical measures into account. It is important for a diabetic to check whether his or her diabetes is on track; if not, it can create complications.

To help diabetes patients escape such complications, the University of Lahore (UOL)

organised an explicatory public awareness seminar titled “Diabetes and Ramadan” on March

22, 2023. The seminar was organised in collaboration with the Pakistan Society of Internal

Medicine (PSIM) National Diabetes Chapter.

During the seminar, Dr Somia Iqtadar (a physician), shared that the prevalence of diabetes is rising worldwide and Pakistan is at number 3 in the world for its increasing number of diabetes patients. She gave a summary of the guidelines presented by the International Diabetes Federation (IDF), on the basis of which diabetics are exempted from fasting. According to IDF guidelines, there are three categories of diabetes patients: red, yellow, and green. Red is a high-risk category, and patients in this category are strictly prohibited from fasting; the yellow category is the moderate-risk category, and patients in this category can fast based on a shared decision with their physician while in the green category patients can observe quickly. Dr. Iqtadar wrapped up the discussion by saying that diabetes should be continually monitored and followed up.

Prof Dr M. Zaman Shaikh (Endocrinologist) highlighted the golden pearls of fasting, an exercise routine in Ramadan, and circumstances in which patients can break their fast. Mr Shaikh said, “Diabetes is the most dangerous disease among other deadly diseases. The complications of this disease and the organs it affects include the eyes, heart, brain, nerves, feet, and kidneys.”

Dr Arsalan Nawaz (Assistant Professor, Medicine, UOL) revealed that in Pakistan, 73% of Pakistani diabetics observe fasting, of whom 96% have type 2 diabetes and 4% have type 1 diabetes. He said that diabetics observe fasts for spiritual satisfaction but do not consult their doctors for guidelines to manage their diabetes and rely on myths. One of the prominent myths is that there is no need for insulin or any other medication; fasting alone is enough to control blood sugar levels. People do not test their sugar levels, misbelieving that pricking the skin can break the fast; they also show an unwillingness to self-screen for hypoglycaemia.

Dr Nawaz’s strategy to get rid of such myths was to work on focused, structured diabetes education among the public via seminars. A unified message from medical professionals and religious clerks should be disseminated regarding the management of diabetes.

Prof Aziz ur Rehman (Professor of Medicine) highlighted the adjustment of medicines during fasting. He said, “We adjust oral medicines so that patients take them 1-2 times per day (at dawn and/or sunset). The doctors characterise diabetes medicine into three groups that include low-, medium-, and high-potency drugs. According to Prof Aziz, there are medicines that lower blood sugar levels by improving the way body handles insulin. It is usually prescribed for diabetes when diet and exercise alone have not been enough to control blood sugar levels. He shared different formulas of the medicines that are helpful and are prescribed by the doctors to the patients in Ramadan.

Prof Dr Aftab Mohsin (a Gastroenterologist) shared beneficial diet suggestions that can help in managing diabetes and avoiding other major health issues during Ramadan. He said fasting causes a metabolic switch that leads to ketosis and results in the burning of unnecessary fats. So, it is good to observe fasts, but avoid fatty foods and try to consume unsaturated fats, e.g., use olive and mustard oil. Avoid using processed sugar. He ended the talk on a positive note, stating that people should eat everything in controlled proportions and consume clean and halal food.

For more information, contact:
The University of Lahore
1 – KM Defence Road, Lahore, Pakistan
Tel: +92-42-111-865-865, +92-42-35322501 +92-42-35321761
Email: info@uol.edu.pk
Website: www.uol.edu.pk

Lahore, April 04, 2023 (PPI-OT):With the rapidly changing times, students must learn a wide range of skills; thus, it is critical that teachers should have a variety of strategies to ensure that all students acquire up-to-date skills. Case-Based Learning (CBL) is one of the strategies of teaching being employed by educators in recent times to elevate their teaching methodology. CBL is a learner-centred approach that engages students in a discussion of specific scenarios or cases that resemble or are typically real-world examples.

At the University of Lahore (UOL), an attempt has been made to uplift the teaching quality and innovate the teaching procedures to meet the ever-changing needs of students. For this purpose, the teaching approach of CBL is currently being practised by the faculty members. UOL arranged a special training session in which the faculty were trained on the effective use of CBL approach for teaching critical concepts.

This method of teaching stimulates critical thinking and improves problem-solving skills, application of theoretical knowledge to real-world practical issues, and the development of self-study abilities that consolidate learning which occurs in groups. The training session for CBL-based teaching was recently organised by the Teacher Training Academy (TTA). Dr Kashif Ehsan (Assistant Professor, University Institute of Radiological Sciences and Medical Images Technology) was the facilitator of the session. During the training session, faculty were introduced to the teaching methodology of CBL; tips were shared on how to adapt this method for student-oriented teaching; the structure of CBL was elaborated; and protocols for the case and scenario formulation were highlighted.

According to the CBL structure, learning objectives and the case(s) should be shared with students prior to the session so that they will have background information on the topic. The cases and additional resources (e.g., imaging, lab results, etc.) for presentation during the session should be made available in advance. The CBL-based lecture should include small group discussion on the case, active integration of the scenario with theoretical knowledge about the information in that case, and group discussion application of prior and newly acquired knowledge for the case solution.

For more information, contact:
The University of Lahore
1 – KM Defence Road, Lahore, Pakistan
Tel: +92-42-111-865-865, +92-42-35322501 +92-42-35321761
Email: info@uol.edu.pk
Website: www.uol.edu.pk