Karachi - The University of Karachi, Sichuan Normal University, China, and Center of Language Education and Cooperation, China on Wednesday signed a memorandum of understanding to start a joint split bachelor programme of Chinese International Education. The Vice Chancellor University of Karachi Professor Dr Khalid Mahmood Iraqi and Chinese Director of the Confucius Institute University of Karachi Professor Zhang Xiaoping on behalf of the President SNU Professor Dr Wang Mingyi and the Chief Executive Center of Language Education and Cooperation Professor Dr Ma Jianfei inked the MoU at the Vice Chancellor Secretariat.
As per the MoU, students have to complete studies of the first two years at the CIUK, and then they would be eligible to study the remaining two years in SNU China. On this occasion, the KU VC Professor Dr Khalid Iraqi said that CIUK is playing a very important role in promoting Chinese language and culture, and with the split degree program we would be able to focus more on the students’ development.
“We initiated this project in November last year and make plans and progress to further strengthen the ties between the two universities. We are hopeful that our students and faculty will get maximum benefits from such joint programs.” He observed that the academic discourse between both universities would help them a lot. The students and faculty exchange program with SNU is also on the card and students of the University of Karachi would also get scholarships in different disciplines to complete their studies.
He shared that international linkage is essential for the varsities and helps in facilitating their faculties and students. Meanwhile, the Chinese Director CIUK Professor Zhang Xiaoping informed the audience that Sichuan Normal University China during its recently held Board Meeting has approved the joint split degree program.
“The University of Karachi, SNU and Center for Language Education and Cooperation under the Ministry of Education have agreed to launch this program while scholarship will also be available for KU students.”
He said that the two plus two split degree program would help in promoting the educational exchange between the two universities. He further said that Confucius Institute at the University of Karachi is dedicated to facilitating the learning of Chinese and promoting people to people contact between China and Pakistan.
He shared that the CIUK has become the largest Confucius Institute in Pakistan. As many as 30 Chinese teachers and two Pakistani teachers are providing Chinese language and cultural courses to more than seven thousand students at the University of Karachi and its teaching sites.
The Pakistani Director CIUK Professor Dr Nasiruddin Khan expressed that this program would be helpful in promoting cooperation between the two universities whereas the KU Syndicate member Sahibzada Moazzam Qureshi said that this program would give more opportunities to KU students and they should miss this chance.
Earlier, the KU Registrar Professor Dr Saleem Shahzad shared the objective of the program and briefed the audience about the joint split degree program in detail. He said that visit to China would be a learning process and he hoped that students and faculty members would learn a lot during student and faculty exchange programs as well as from the two plus two split degree program.
The Director Finance Tariq Kaleem, Controller of Examination Dr Syed Zafar Hussain, Students’ Advisor Dr Syed Asim Ali, Foreign Students’ Advisor Dr Shumaila Shafket Ali, and Chinese faculty of the CIUK were also present on this occasion.
