British Council expanding its academic activities in Pakistan.

KARACHI, September 15, 2009 (Balochistan Times): The British Council is expanding its academic activities in Pakistan. This was stated by the Director Marketing and Communications, British Council Pakistan, Fasi Zaka. He was speaking on the occasion of an Iftar-Dinner hosted on Monday by Director British Council Sindh and Balochistan, Syed Mashood Rizvi. Zaka also spoke of the higher education partnership and said that there are 75 links between the higher education departments in Pakistan and one in the United Kingdom (UK). He further stated that the idea is that research is an on-going process. Zaka said that the Higher Education Commission (HEC) Pakistan is also onboard. He also spoke of the partnership between the University of Cambridge and the Peshawar University in Archaeology. Some of the researchers from Peshawar are doing fellowships at places like the British National History Museum. Zaka said that the vocational education needs a lot of attention and pointed out that the industry is asked to make the syllabus. He also spoke of the programme called Active Citizens which encourages young people to get more involved in the society. Zaka said that there was also a programme called Connecting Classrooms and that the teachers were also imparted training. Speaking on the occasion, Syed Mashood Rizvi, said that the British Council is embarking on the First Karachi Literature Festival with the collaboration of the Oxford University Press (OUP) Pakistan. The event would be held next year and it will shed light on the literature, arts, culture and history of Karachi. Mashood said that there would also be an event called Next Generation Report which will be about the youth, by the youth and for the youth. The youngsters will talk about the issues that are very close to their hearts and will also be presenting viable solutions to those issues.

(THROUGH ASIA PULSE)