Mohammad Ali Jinnah University, Islamabad Campus became a partner in an European Union (EU) funded project named eLINK East-West Link for Innovation, Networking and Knowledge exchange. The project aims to develop new and enhance existing co-operative teaching and research links and to establish a sustainable virtual learning platform to continue collaborative activities. eLINK will also form a collaborative framework for human resource development through training and upgrading of the skills of the junior faculty staff, undergraduate students, postgraduate students and post-doctoral researchers in ICT, engineering, technology, business and management. It will promote the EU higher education system in the participating Asian countries. The countries included in eLINK are Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal, Pakistan, China and Thailand from Asia and UK, France, Italy and Hungary from Europe.
The project will allow the enhancement of knowledge and skills of teaching staff and students by introducing the latest theories, advancement and methods in ICT, Economics and Industrial Engineering. These include intelligent information systems, modeling and simulations, quality control, robotics, computational systems biology, mobile computing, environmental sciences, business studies, management science and teaching/education. This will provide a foundation for fostering new partnerships and reinforcing existing collaborations between Asian and EU universities. It will develop a virtual learning platform to share resources, exchange ideas, knowledge and views. The eLINK will mainly involve the mobility of students, researchers and academics between participating institutes for education, research and knowledge transfer.
All Asian and European partners gathered for the kick-off meeting in United International University, Dhaka from April 5-7, 2009. The program included a one day seminar titled “Digital Bangladesh”, followed by two days meeting sessions to finalize the (staff and student) mobilities. The idea is that Asian students will study in different European universities for two semesters that will give them learning and exposure. There are a total of 334 mobilities in the project for different Asian universities. Pakistan’s share is 51, out which 35 mobilities are for the M.A.J.U. students and 16 for the other universities of Pakistan. M.A.J.U, through a fair and transparent selection process, nominated students of different categories, who will be going to different European universities by Jan 2010 starting from June 2009.
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