Meeting with Chancellor GIK Institute

A meeting was called by H.E Dr. Arif Alvi President of Pakistan and Honorable Chancellor of the GIK Institute on 9^th February, 2022 at 11:00 a.m. in the Awan e Saddar Islamabad.

The Participants were:-

1. Executive Director SOPREST
2. Rector GIK Institute
3. Pro-Rector (Academic)
4. Pro-Rector (Administration & Finance)

The meeting at the Awan e Saddar was aimed to discuss academic and research programs of the Institute and to highlight the future and strategic planning for the next few years. 

1. Academic Updates: GIKI / SOPREST would evaluate benefits and utility of some existing subjects / disciplines and introduction of new ones preferably with corporate and foreign pattern. The following programs would be considered for future years.
   1. Medical Sciences Biomedical Engineering: Biomedical engineering is an interdisciplinary field that weds the biological sciences with engineering design. The general goal of the field is to improve healthcare by developing engineering solutions for assessing, diagnosing, and treating various medical conditions.
   2. Bio-Nano Info Technology: With nanotechnology, the production of nano devices is possible. Advancements in biotechnology allow scientists to control and manipulate biomolecules.
   3. Architecture & Urban Planning: Purpose of this program would be to do research of technology to design urban and regional architecture and civil infrastructure as well as territorial environment and manage these as systems to provide an environment of high quality of life within a safe and trustworthy social framework.
   4. Environmental Science & Engineering: Environmental Science & Engineering is an interdisciplinary program with the common goal of understanding, predicting, and responding to human-induced environmental change.
   5. Water Management & Climate Change: The goal is to protect human health, support economic and recreational activities, and provide healthy habitat for fish, plants and wildlife.
   6. Cyber Security: Cyber security is the application of technologies, processes and controls to protect systems, networks, programs, devices and data. In view of immense risk to unauthorized attacks on Networks, Cloud, Software Applications, IoT involving their security including smart devices and networks, internet connections and critical infrastructure and data, the Cyber Security has assumed great significance. Starting a programme on Cyber Security would enable GIK to catch up the emerging technologies. It aims to reduce the risk of cyber-attacks and protect against the unauthorized exploitation of systems, networks and technologies.
2. Follow-up on the decisions taken in last meeting held on 20^th October, 2021
   1. Female Contribution to the Society and role of Lady Professional like Doctor / Engineers in the future: Re-activated chapter of Woman Engineering Society. It was suggested that entry age for Lady Doctors, Engineer and other professionals in Government or private service be raised to 36 years and full pension be allowed after 20 year service.
   2. Induction of International students: Increased social media presence to attract international applicants & increase the pool size. SOPREST proposes induction from SAARC and Afghanistan.
   3. Play Role in UN SDGs: Joint research ventures with national and multinational organizations. Need for association with WAPDA, Diamar Bhasha and Dasu dams, Climate Change Ministry and UN bodies.
   4. Strategy and resource mobilization to include GIK in P-15: Strengthening collaboration with universities and R&D organization.
   5. Digital Transformation enables use of Information Technology for transformation of the Institute and establishment of Smart Classrooms.
3. Future outlook:
   1. Construction of new Girls Hostel (Phase-1).
   2. Moving toward Emerging Fields of Engineering & Technology.
   3. Expansion through Establishment of New Campus at Islamabad.
   4. Establishing New Research Areas in Emerging Fields of Technology & Innovation.