Federal Education Minister Javed Ashraf Qazi has asked the policy-makers to interact with the Area Study Centre for Europe (ASCE), University of Karachi and benefit from its research output. Qazi on Friday visited the Centre and met the faculty and students to get acquainted himself with the working of the Centre. Director of the Centre Dr Naveed Ahmed Tahir briefed him on teaching, training, research and publication programmes.
The minister said that in view of the standard of research he would recommend to the policy making institutions of Pakistan to make optimum use of the research output of this centre.
He appreciated that the European Union institutions, acknowledging the Centre's dynamism in disseminating information and analysis on European affairs, had established collaborative ventures with the ASCE.
Qazi said with dismay that the output of this centre had not been utilised for effective and purposeful communication between Europe and Pakistan. "The research output of the centre should be effectively utilised," he added.
The minister appreciated the work done by the Centre, especially its publications, its seminar, workshops, its M. Phil course work and the European language programme.
The acting vice-chancellor of the university, Dr Mohammed Qaiser, was also present on the occasion.