Delegation of Baltistan University to visit Basque Country Universities in Spain
ISLAMABAD: (PR) A two member delegation, consisted of University of Baltistan Skardu, GB, Vice Chancellor, Prof. Dr. Muhammad Naeem Khan & Dr. Zakir Hussain Zakir, Director Academics & External Linkages, will visit Mandragon University, Spain and the University of Basque Country, Spain, from January 20 to January 25, 2019, as official sponsored guests of ‘Baltistan Fundazioa’, Bilbao, Spain.
“Baltistan Fundazioa”, Spain, an International NGO, working for poverty alleviation, women empowerment, development of health & education sectors, disaster risk management and community development in Hushe Valley of Ganche District, Gilgit-Baltistan, since 2005, signed an MOU in June 2018 for the establishment of partnership and collaboration with the University of Baltistan.
The delegation will visit Mondragon University, Spain, which provides free scholarships to GB students for MS degree in “Leadership and Innovation in Entrepreneurship”. Mondragon University intends to launch this joint international degree program in business incubation & entrepreneurship in Pakistan in partnership and collaboration with the Business Incubation Center (BIC) established at the University of Baltistan, Skardu, in September 2018.
During the week long academic visit and faculty exchange, the UOBS delegation will also visit University of Basque Country (UPV), Spain. UPV is running a “Community Based Disaster Risk Reduction” project in GB, by providing early warning systems to mountain communities in GB. Recently, the newly established Islamabad National University” (INU), established at the erstwhile Prime Minister House by the Prime Minister of Pakistan, Mr. Imran Khan, decided to established a ‘Think Tank on Climate Change & Water’, in partnership and affiliation with the University of Baltistan Skardu, as Baltistan is home of largest glaciers on planet earth after ice reserves of North & South Poles. The newly established “Centre of Excellence in Glaciers Studies & Water Resources” at the University of Baltistan, Skardu, will provide local partnership, research support and collaboration to the University of Basque Country (UPV) in glacier grafting & seeding, data collection, monitoring of glaciers through installation of early warning systems, for disaster risk reduction and management in Baltistan.
