My name is Professor Dr. Khalid Mahmood. My field is information management and currently I am serving as the vice chancellor of the University of the Punjab. I am also the most senior professor at University of the Punjab right now. I belong to Sharaqpur Sharif in District Sheikhupura. I hold the degree of PhD in information management from University of the Punjab. My post-doctorate qualification is from University of California, Loss Angelis, USA. For last 30 years, I have been teaching at University of the Punjab. I have also taught at University of Dammam in Saudi Arabia for three years. As per a list issued by Stanford University, California, I am one of the top two percent researchers of the world.
Your services and initiatives for University of the Punjab in your tenure?
11 months so far. As my focus is research, so I am an advocate of the promotion of research at universities. I have enhanced the functionality of ORIC at University of the Punjab. The university currently publishes 43 research journals and I have established committees to improve the quality of these committees. The university has a teachers’ training center that was closed after COVID-19; I have revived that and the training has started again now. I have also worked on the improvement of university’s ranking in the world in the last 5 to 6 years. Right now, University of the Punjab ranks at 139th position in Asia in comparison to university’s 232nd position 6 years ago. 6 years ago, we had 3 subjects registered in QS Subject ranking and right now we have 15 subjects registered in QS Subject ranking.
Skills education in Pakistan?
The demand of skill-based education has increased due to industrial changes in the world. Due to this demand, the degrees offered by universities have also been questioned that why a student should spend four long years at a university. He/she should learn a skill and et to his/her work in minimum time. Its difficult for universities now to focus only on theory instead of incorporating skills into that. The gap between education and industry has always been there but it is being felt more now. Universities face a challenge to fill this gap now. We at University of the Punjab are improving our relations with industry. We are increasing and adding internships in all the programs being offered at the university. We are also making our students interact with the industry people; for that we call industry people at the university; inviting guests speakers is a regular feature now. We are also increasing the hands-on training of the students. We also believe in the fact that the students must learn the theory of a subject as well but to fulfill the requirement of the current world we are focusing more on skills education to make the students market-ready. All the universities in Pakistan are focusing more on skills education now. At University of the Punjab we are working on creating relevance of all our departments with the industry.
Experience with COTHM?
This is my first visit to COTHM. Institutions like COTHM are very rare in Pakistan which are training the students at such higher level and in the field of hospitality and tourism it is the only institute that is serving the nation at such big scale. I have given a thorough visit to COTHM including the observation of kitchens and labs facilities. I have also observed the syllabus and talked to the teachers and students and this is my true observation that you are imparting such high level of education. COTHM is University of the Punjab’s affiliated partner and due to COTHM the university’s ranking is also improving. I must say University of Punjab is proud of having COTHM as its educational partner. It’s a two-way collaboration and both the organizations are benefiting from this collaboration.
Tips for the government?
The government of a country has the key role in policy making and policy implementation and the it is the government that has resources. I would suggest to the government to included university and college professors and practitioners of the fields and other stakeholders in the process of policy making. They should focus more on research and education. For skills education, the government is in right direction and it has already expedited the skills education initiatives.
Government institutions all over the world are going down and they must think over this to address this serious concern.
Message for youth?
Pakistan’s youth has great potential. They have got huge respect in the world. They can win the world if they start doing their work with more commitment.
