Karachi: Iqra University had the honour of welcoming Prof. Dr. Niaz Ahmad Akhtar, Chairman, Higher Education Commission (HEC) , Pakistan, to its Main Campus for a visit that reaffirmed the University’s commitment to academic excellence, research, innovation, and the advancement of higher education in Pakistan.
During the visit, the Chairman HEC inaugurated the Iqra University Intellectual Property (IP) Wall, an initiative that celebrates the University’s achievements in research, innovation, patents, and intellectual property development.
The visit also included an interactive session with the University’s faculty members, where discussions focused on the evolving landscape of higher education, quality assurance, research and innovation, industry-academia collaboration, and the future of higher education in Pakistan.
Ms. Imaan Hunaid Lakhani, daughter of the late Mr. Hunaid Lakhani, Iqra University, also attended the event alongside the University’s senior leadership, faculty members, and administrative officials.
Welcoming the Chairman HEC, Prof. Dr. Nassar Ikram, Vice Chancellor, Iqra University , appreciated the Higher Education Commission’s continued efforts to strengthen Pakistan’s higher education sector and acknowledged its support for promoting academic excellence, innovation, and institutional development.
Addressing the faculty, Prof. Dr. Niaz Ahmad Akhtar emphasized that improving the quality of higher education remains the Higher Education Commission’s foremost priority. He stated that aligning universities with the evolving demands of the modern world is the need of the hour and stressed the importance of promoting research, innovation, and stronger industry-academia linkages.
He added that knowledge creation and transfer, research and innovation, and the inculcation of ethics and morality are the core functions of every progressive institution. He noted that the Higher Education Commission has opened its doors to both public and private sector higher education institutions by providing not only essential services but also access to the latest tools and software to enhance teaching and learning experiences.
Prof. Dr. Akhtar further emphasized that the HEC is committed to reducing unnecessary restrictions while facilitating the growth and development of higher education institutions across Pakistan. Addressing the faculty, he underscored the paramount importance of instilling ethical and moral values among students, describing them as essential to building responsible professionals and future leaders.
The visit concluded with a tour of the campus and discussions on strengthening collaboration between the Higher Education Commission and Iqra University to further advance research, innovation, intellectual property, and institutional development.
