Dual Degree Programme in COMSATS Lahore Campus
LONDON: A landmark agreement between the UK’s Lancaster University and Comsats Institute of Information Technology (CIIT) will allow Pakistani students to earn a highly regarded international degree from the Midland based facility in addition to their own certificate from CIIT for a fraction of cost of study in the UK.
From August this year, 250 Pakistani undergraduate students at the CIIT Lahore campus will start the first dual degrees delivered in Pakistan.The dual degree programme was formally launched here Thursday at an event attended by the Federal Minister of Science and Technology Senator Azam Khan Swati , who is also chancellor of CIIT, Sir Christian Bonington, Chancellor of Lancaster University and CIIT funded masters and PhD students who are studying at Lancaster University’s ICT centre of excellence, InfoLab21.
The memorandum of agreement was signed by the Pakistani Minister, Dr.S.M.Junaid Zaidi, Rector, CIIT, and by Prof. Paul Wellings, Vice Chancellor, Lancaster University and Prof. Bob McKinlay, Deputy Vice Chancellor.
Pakistan’s Ambassador to Germany Shahid Kamal and Education attachE at the Pakistan High Commission Talha Saeed were also present on the occasion.Addressing the gathering, Mr.Swati said: “We are pleased to be partnering with Lancaster University and believe that this dual degree programme, supported by two leading institutions, will benefit Pakistani students greatly”.
“This is the very first step which surely would turn into a stride and would certainly develop into a fully fledged and robust interaction in education as well as the socio-cultural levels and as consequence going to add to the international understanding, good, harmony and peace.” He spoke about the benefit of this dual degree programme and said it aims to provide an alternate path to a foreign degree at reduced costs and without physical displacement or compromising standard of education.
“The two-fold advantage would be the benefit of an international degree at highly affordable cost but also in the long run to strengthen and further enhance the capacity and standards of educational pursuits at CIIT,” the Minister observed. – APP
