Islamabad:We are living in the century of awareness, knowledge and information, which as a consequence leads us to unprecedented volatility among masses, socio-economic systems and political structures.
Rector NUST Engineer Muhammad Asghar said this while addressing the closing session of a training workshop on ‘Women in Leadership and Management in Higher Education,’ organised by Fatima Jinnah Women University (FJWU) in collaboration with National University of Sciences and Technology (NUST) and the Association of Commonwealth Universities (ACU), UK.
The rector noted that managing of higher education institutions is a huge challenge as we have to focus on not only teaching/learning and research but also make sure that our graduates have relevant knowledge and skills and if possible they can create jobs through entrepreneurship rather than seeking jobs for themselves. Universities and the higher education leaders must therefore be dynamic enough to adjust to the changing higher education landscape that will ultimately produce knowledge-based economy, he added.

The aim of the workshop was to develop a network of highly trained and highly confident professional women who will be equipped to collaborate extensively across the country, to draw on each other’s strengths, strengthen each other’s weaknesses and together introduce such initiatives that will help embed gender equitable practices in their universities.

The workshop helped in investigating the concepts, issues and practices of ‘Women and Academic Leadership’, ‘Women and Governance in Higher Education’, ‘Developing Management Skills’, ‘Women Research and Generating Resources’. Workshop demonstrated that how teams and networks come into being and operate effectively, such networking is essential for sustainable work. The programme helped participants to develop strategies that can bring sustainable change for themselves and for the status of women in higher education institutions in their country.

Vice Chancellor Fatima Jinnah Women University Prof. Dr. Saeeda Asadullah Khan said that in the fast globalisation process of the 21st century, the women of developing countries are in danger of becoming more and more marginalised unless they acquire new knowledge, skills, and attitudes to coupe with the demands of time. Universities all over the world are facing significant new challenges and some fascinating new opportunities in an increasingly competitive global context.

Director Professional Networks, ACU, Dorothy Garland said, “We, the members of the external resource team have all been energised by the ideas and initiatives that have come from the floor during the week; and it has been profoundly gratifying to hear your action plans and to be able to share with you in considering and strategising the way forward for you and your universities.”

Chairperson National Commission for Human Development Dr. Nafisa Shah said that women leadership and management are the two important aspects of higher education institutions. College and universities need teachers who can turn vision into reality having excellent leadership qualities.The news