Comments on: Where’s The Money for Higher Education in Pakistan? A Conversation with Dr. Asad Abidi (Part 2 of 2)

By: Building an ‘MIT for Pakistan’? A Conversation with Dr. Asad Abidi (Part 1 of 2) | Educational Resources

Sat, 12 Jun 2010 04:25:58 +0000

[...] In the summer of 2007, Professor Abidi went on leave from UCLA and joined LUMS as the first dean of SSE. There he played a pivotal role in setting the direction of the school. But, less than two years later, Professor Abidi was back at UCLA and at his home in the beautiful Pacific Palisades, California. That is where STEP Editor Bilal Zafar sat down with Professor Abidi to talk about LUMS SSE (Part 1), and much more (Part 2). [...]

By: Azhar Naeem

Azhar Naeem — Tue, 20 Apr 2010 19:44:03 +0000

I agree with Dr Abid on the point of quality vocational training institutes. To regulate and manage this training system we need sincere and qualified management capable of meeting long term goals.
Regarding the military budget allocations, just the diversion of funds will not help. Rather managing spending pattern will help in real economic activity. If our economic managers device a policy to bind all three services to spend only 10 % of allocation, in the local industry for development projects,then every year approx US $ 400-500 Mil will be injected in local economy which will actually result in development of local industry, job creation, employment of skilled manpower and reduction of FE spending and ultimately management of trade deficit. Following the policy for five years will generate an economic impact of US $ 15-20 B and will result in true progress.

By: Bilal Zafar

Bilal Zafar — Tue, 20 Apr 2010 15:56:55 +0000

Anonymous,

What do you mean by vocational training institutions ‘evolving’ into universities? The way I understand Dr. Abidi’s point (and I concur with it) is that the two can, and indeed must, co-exist in a healthy higher education system: Universities that produce knowledge and expertise for the (distant) future, and vocational training institutes that address the present and near-term needs.

I specifically asked the question about what he would do with $80 million to see if he believes that now is not the time for Pakistan to invest in universities. That, instead, we should be spending money exclusively on vocational training. He, quite clearly, doesn’t think so.

I guess my point is that universities are no more or less organic than technical training institutes. They play different roles, and it stands to reason that both will be needed well into the future. I don’t exactly see a university as a more ‘evolved’ form of a technical training institute. Do you see it differently?

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Mon, 19 Apr 2010 18:15:33 +0000

The advice to industrialize through vocational institutions is an interesting suggestion. In fact, it may even be true that if universities are to emerge organically from a society it is likely that vocational institutions, which have a direct and tangible social impact, eventually evolve into universities. Universities may have an indirect impact, but it is a real impact guaranteed by their evolution from such vocational institutions.