Talented Researcher Programme in UK
600 scholars to be trained
Islamabad, June 19: As many as 14 researchers, who have attended Talented
Researcher Programme (TRP) in the UK, would train more than 600 scholars through
various workshops in order to enhance indigenous research culture in
Pakistan. The proposals regarding workshop was presented in a round-table
organised by British Council in collaboration with Higher Education Commission
(HEC) as a part of agreement they signed according to which BC would be funding
the project while HEC would be responsible for its management. The
Talented Researcher Programme (TRP) is part of the 'Inspire' initiative from the
British Council which aims to increase the sharing of ideas, knowledge and
expertise through international research and teaching collaboration between the
UK and selected countries in the Central & South Asia Region - Pakistan,
Bangladesh, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Afghanistan. The purpose of the
Talented Researcher Programme is to support early stage researchers, aimed
mainly at doctorate and postgraduate level students. It aims to equip
individuals with valuable skills they need to build international research
careers, sustain research networks and to encourage international
collaboration. In this connection BC had organised a workshop in United
Kingdom (UK) in February 2010 for early stage researchers in inter-cultural
communication, project management fort sustainable international collaboration,
techniques in bidding for external sources of funding, strategic skills;
influencing, negotiating, presenting and embedding international
partnership. As many as 14 participants were nominated to attend the
workshop in Windsor UK. BC and HEC plans to use the participants of Windsor
chapter as Master Trainers and proceed with cascading workshops in Higher
Education Institutions across Pakistan. The aims and objectives of the
workshop would be to impart necessary knowledge among participants for building
successful international research careers besides sharing knowledge from experts
regarding sustainability of research finding and international projects. The news
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Students protest 'strip search' by PU team
Rawalpindi: Candidates of B Com part-II paper, assigned Islamia
High School No 4 Liaquat Bagh Rawalpindi as examination center, blocked Benazir
Bhutto Shaheed Road Friday in protest against improper attitude of Special
Monitoring Team of Punjab University during the course of examination. They
alleged that during paper, the team raided the examination centre and took off
their trousers and even underwears of certain in the name of search. In
retaliation, the angry students left the paper incomplete; gathered at the BBS
Road and blocked traffic for about 10 minutes. Later on, the police reached the
spot and break up the protestors. City Police SHO Israr Satti called on students
to police station on Saturday to record their statements. No arrests were
reported till filing of this story. Talking to the media, the students said
taking off the cloths of students in the examination hall is such a shameful act
that mere condemnation is not enough to make up for. "By doing such disgraceful
deed, they not only put down students in the eyes of their companions but also
mocked the high human and ethical values," they said. Monitoring Team Member
Syed Ali Raza said no one was undressed and the students' allegations lacked
substance. He said the raid was conducted on a tip-off that the 'copy mafia' was
active in the centre and they have confiscated copying martial and mobile phones
in large number from the students. Daily times
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Missing record: PMDC official sent to jail
Rawalpindi: A magistrate here on Friday sent the Pakistan Medical and
Dental Council (PMDC) assistant registrar to Adiala jail on judicial remand for
14 days after the Anti-Corruption Establishment (ACE) did not seek his custody.
Magistrate Nadeem Yousaf Warraich remanded Assistant Registrar Mohammad
Bashir when the ACE investigators said they had completed the interrogation
about the missing files of two brothers who were granted eligibility
certificates against fake MBBS degrees. Advocate Malik Qamar Afzal, who
is representing the accused, argued that ACE could not arrest Mohammad Bashir as
he was an employee of a federal department and only the Federal Investigation
Agency (FIA) could question him. Punjab province's ACE arrested Mr
Bashir on June 14 after it was revealed that he had declared Salahuddin and
Naseeruddin eligible to sit in the national examination board, a pre-requisite
for foreign MBBS degree holders to get registered with the PMDC as doctor.
On the basis of these eligibility certificates, the two brothers applied
for appointment in Rawalpindi's District Headquarters DHQ hospital as doctors
and later their MBBS degrees along with those of others were found to be fake.
ACE investigation officer Asif Iqbal said that the assistant
registrar who served before Mohammad Bashir had put up objections to the
applications of two brothers, raising doubts on their qualifications but Mr
Bashir granted the eligibility without addressing the objections. The
official said ACE came to known about some 20 missing files of doctors with
foreign degrees and sought the custody of Mohammad Bashir for allegedly hiding
the record of the two brothers. PMDC secy's defence Islamabad:
An inquiry committee constituted by the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council
(PMDC) to investigate charges against its secretary, Dr Sohail Karim Hashmi, has
given the official another 15 days to submit his written defence. The
secretary has been accused of legal, financial and administrative
irregularities, sources said. Dr Hashmi has already
consumed 15 days given to him for submitting his written defence. A
meeting of the inquiry committee was held last week to give Dr Hashmi a hearing,
but the proceedings were adjourned on the account that secretary had not
prepared his defence. The secretary was served order of inquiry along
with statement of allegations and the charge sheet well before time, but he
declined to submit a defence. Through a letter, a copy of which is
available with Dawn, the secretary challenged the position of acting PMDC
president Dr Asim Hussain, terming his appointment unlawful. The
secretary alleged that the acting president was not a competent authority
according to law, therefore, he could not issue such orders. While in
his reply, the acting president termed secretary's allegation an attempt to
evade the inquiry proceedings and to escape the process of accountability. He
said he was elected after due procedure, which was also notified by the Ministry
of Health. Dawn
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FJWU students urged to focus on studies
Islamabad: Women Research and Resource Centre of the Fatima Jinnah University
organized a forum to discuss gender and women issues and this time the Center
had invited wife of the Indonesian Ambassador Butar Latuconsina for an interview
and lecture to inform participants of the forum about social issues and status
of the women in her country. Butar Latuconsina, who was warmly welcomed
by Vice Chancellor Prof Dr Saeeda Asadullah Khan and other faculty members, was
also interviewed by the University's Radio VOW. Dr Maryam Rab briefed the
visiting guest about the university and while Dr Shamim M Zaidi delivered her
vote of thanks. She said education is something that women just cannot
compromise on if they wanted to be financially independent in odd times. The
ambassador's spouse said that she continued her studies and completed her degree
in Mass Communication even after she had joined Indonesian Navy as first
lieutenant and married Ambassador Ishak Latuconsina. Daily times
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