FAISALABAD: A purpose-built campus of National University of Modern Languages sprawling over 25 acres of land would be constructed near Ghulam Muhammad Abad, said Brigadier (Retd) Waseem Uddin, Regional Director NUML Faisalabad.
During his visit to the Faisalabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FCCI), he said that the boundary wall of the campus was being completed while construction work of the main structure was also expected to be started during this month.
He said that the Faisalabad campus had been established in 2006 with four major degree programmes. “Currently, 1300 students ere enrolled out of which 600 are studying in the IT department. The Faisalabad campus had introduced a 2-year associate degree programme in computer science but it received a lukewarm response from the student’s community. I wanted to start an Artificial Intelligence programme while special emphasis is being laid on the training and grooming of the students,” he added.
He said that the campus was also offering courses in C
hinese and Korean languages as these have demand in the market. About industry-academia linkages, he said that the Faisalabad campus had already inked an MOU with the FCCI which would be reactivated through regular meetings and consultation.
He quoted a meeting of President FCCI Dr Khurram Tariq with the Rector NUML in Islamabad and said that he would invite them along with other leading business tycoons to deliver motivational lectures and sensitize students to start their own businesses instead of seeking jobs.
He further said that NUML had full focus on the training of its faculty members and in this connection, he had introduced a 4-module grooming programme.
He further said that internship had been declared mandatory for all passed-out students even in languages. He requested the FCCI to help this campus by offering maximum internships to its students.
Earlier, Acting President FCCI Dr Sajjad Arshad welcomed the guests and said that universities should introduce market-driven programmes to ensure the
employment for their passed-out students.
He also stressed the need for the practical training of students so that they could perform well during their practical life.
About the FCCI, he said that it has more than 8,000 members with three office bearers and 27 executives. He said that the members represent 118 sectors and subsectors of the economy while standing committees are constituted for each segment to identify its specific issues with workable solutions.
He said that the FCCI had made concerted efforts to resolve the issues of their members in addition to contributing its role in social welfare and city development.
Vice President Hajji Muhammad Aslam Bhalli, former President Rana Muhammad Sikandar-e-Azam, Muhammad Azhar Chaudhry, Dr. Habib Aslam Gaba, Sanaullah Niazi and Waqar Ayub in addition to the faculty members of NUML Mr. Shahid Ramzan, Syed Hassan Raza and Muhammad Usman were also present during this meeting.