ISLAMABAD:The National University of Sciences and Technology (NUST) and National University of Medical Sciences (NUMS) on Friday signed a document of understanding (DoU) for enhancing collaboration in the field of health sciences.
The DoU was signed by Rector NUST, Lt Gen Eng Javed Mahmood Bukhari and NUMS Vice Chancellor, Lt Gen Wasim Alamgir.
In his opening remarks, Vice Principal, NUST Institute of Health Sciences, Salik Javed Kakar said the NUST has emerged as the top university of the country, one of the leading in the region and 374th in the world. It offered hundreds of programmes ranging from artificial intelligence (AI) to architecture.
Kakar said that the NUST health sciences department started from scratch and established its recognition in a short time period of six years. He said the DoU would bring positive outcomes as partnerships were very important between the varsities. It would help improve youth engagement, quality research and improved cooperation that would help NUST to become as a force multiplier, he added.
At its inception, the NUST was created with six degree awarding institutions of the tri services and these six constituent colleges laid the foundation of the varsity.
However, the Army Medical Corps was also part of it whereas after the creation of the NUMS in 2016 the health sciences faculty was shifted to it, he added.
An interdisciplinary approach was adopted to develop the institution of health sciences as the varsity realised a gap in 2016 and decided to set up a dedicated medical sciences programme that was named as NUST School of Health Sciences.
The Rector NUST also informed the participants that the board of governors (BoG) of NUST had allowed the establishment of a teaching and training medical college, dedicated health sciences programme, and affiliation with a public hospital.
He added that it also restricted the University to develop a 500 bedded teaching and training hospital within its campus that would be created on a 50-acre land as per the master plan.
The NUST had selected Polyclinic Hospital after consultation with all stakeholders and role leading from Law Ministry to HEC to start its first batch of medical sciences in January 2023, he said.
The Rector NUST also proposed NUMS to take lead for all health sciences-related programmes as it wanted to have strong collaboration and capitalize on each other’s strengths.
VC, NUMS, Lt Gen Wasim Alamgir endorsed the recommendations raised by the Rector NUST and assured his complete support on behalf of his institution. He said the NUST as an institution owned huge resources and since NUMS was it’s offshoot so it was better for the former to take the lead.
He underlined that the country needed enhanced healthcare facilities as it required more doctors, nurses and critical medical infrastructure.
The Rector NUST also presented a memento to the Vice Chancellor NUMS as a token of thanks at the end.