Chairman, Higher Education Commission (HEC) Dr. Mukhtar Ahmed has said that the world was focusing on digital transformation, innovation and use of technology in the education sector. He further said that in view of contemporary requirements, the HEC was helping the universities to adopt smart classrooms, blended education and hybrid systems. He was addressing the closing ceremony of the 7th International Applied Business Research Conference at the International Islamic University here Thursday. The Chairman HEC said, for future success, it is necessary that we have to move with the pace of contemporary changes in technology.

He opined that instead of buildings and models, it was the era of smart university ideology. He said that smart university education had benefited the global education system during the global pandemic. Universities should use cloud computing under the guidance of HEC, he said. He furthered that technology had to be utilized keeping in mind the changes that would take place in the next decades. Dr. Mukhtar said that the work was going on to utilize a blended learning and hybrid system so that in future, we should not be left behind in the world. He hailed the efforts of the International Islamic University Islamabad (IIUI) for organizing the conference on the most contemporary and important topic and also assured full cooperation.

Speaking on this occasion, IIUI President Dr. Hathal Homoud Alotaibi said that the world was traveling and developing at a fast pace due to technology, which included innovations such as 3D printing, robotics and artificial intelligence after the Internet. He opined that in human history, older things were replaced by innovations and technology, and the same saw the world when it realized the importance of digital transformation. Apprising of the initiatives at the University, President IIUI told about preparation of open and distance learning system, campus management system, new strategic plan and preparation of the new organogram of IIUI. The Vice Presidents of the University, Dr. Ahmed Shuja Syed and Dr. Ayaz Afsar also expressed their views in the conference.

Credit: Independent News Pakistan-INP