Alternative to new varsity

Ishrat Husain

Article Type

Article

Description

The Pakistani government plans to spend £190 million on establishing a new university focused on emerging technologies. Ishrat Husain argues this is not cost-effective and recommends channeling the funds into existing universities through competitive research grants. Citing China's investment in STEM as a successful example, he emphasizes leveraging current academic infrastructure, improving research funding, and avoiding high capital costs of new construction. The proposed model includes creating an endowment, rigorous international vetting of proposals, and transparency to ensure impactful outcomes. Husain cautions against building an institution that may become outdated by the time it's operational, urging instead for flexible, scalable support for existing research ecosystems.

Publication Source

DAWN

Publication Date

3-22-2025

Pages

6

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