LAHORE: The Punjab University's Institute of Quality & Technology Management and South Asian Standardization (Chengdu-China) Research Centre on Thursday signed an agreement to cooperate in undertaking joint research in the fields of standardization, metrology, inspection, testing, certification, accreditation, and market access.

The two institutes will also jointly organise trainings and conferences and set up information exchange platforms for mutual benefit. This agreement will help Institute of Quality & Technology Institute (IQTM) in its efforts to help improve access of local manufacturers to lucrative export markets through its research and consultancy in the field of standardization.

The agreement was signed in an online meeting at which acting Consul General of Pakistan in Chengdu, Mahmood Akhtar, was the chief guest. Dr Niaz Akhtar (Vice Chancellor University of the Punjab) signed the agreement on behalf of Institute of Quality & Technology Management (IQTM). Dr Muhammad Usman Awan (Director IQTM), Xie Liping (Deputy Director General of Chengdu Administration for Market Regulation), Qing ning (Director of Standardization Division of Chengdu Administration for Market Regulation), Chang Gong (President, Chengdu Institute of Standardization), Zhuang Yuanyuan (Director, South Asian Standardization Research Center) also attended the agreement signing ceremony.

The participants while speaking on the occasion stressed the need for harmonization in standardization for greater economic integration under "Belt and Road" initiatives and called for increased cooperation in standardization research.

South Asian Standardization (Chengdu) Research Centre is a government-sponsored regional standardization research institution approved by Standardization Administra-tion of China and undertaken by Chengdu Institute of Standardization and Institute of South Asian Studies of Sichuan University.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2020