by Fatima Javed

 

ISLAMABAD, Dec. 12 (Gwadar Pro) - Sialkot University of Applied Engineering and Technology, a Rs 14 billion project, will be affiliated with renowned engineering universities from China, Italy and Austria. The university will provide skilled labor and technical training to meet the demands of the local industry.

 

Prime Minister Imran Khan at the university's groundbreaking ceremony in Sialkot, assured the completion of the university in the next 7 years. Giving credit to Dr. Attaur Rehman, he said under his supervision and advice a similar university in Haripur has already been made operational.

 

Dr. Rehman who has received the highest national award from China as well as Austria convinced the senior academics and institutions of these countries to collaborate with Pakistan.

 

Same like the Pakistan Austrian Fachhochschule University in Haripur, the university in Sialkot will also engage in fields of industrial engineering, industrial management, industrial manufacturing, mechatronics, chemical and materials engineering including textiles, leather, surgical goods, sports goods, nanomaterials, artificial intelligence, big data, agricultural engineering, industrial biotechnology, business management, entrepreneurship and innovation.

 

The university will be built to foster innovation and promote new start-up companies with close linkages with the Chinese, Austrian and Pakistani industries. Education cooperation and training youth for building manpower has always been one of the agendas for both Pakistan and China.

 

Under China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), the Chinese infrastructure development teams have been already working for assistance and training of Pakistan's manpower until they get properly trained to run those projects independently.

 

Moreover, Prime minister Imran Khan has been keen to develop industrial cities of Pakistan, for which he brought various development packages first in Karachi, Faisalabad and now in Sialkot. Education has been the primary focus of his government and technical education to provide skilled labor to the country was also the top priority.

 

The biggest challenge for the government is to equip the youth with skills to meet the job requirement of the market. Each year, around 2.5 million people enter the local job market while the majority of them lack the basic necessary skills to meet the demands of the local industry.