New Delhi, Aug 24 (UNI) Professor Zia-ul-Qayyum, Chairman of the Governing Board of South Asian University (SAU) and Executive Director of the Higher Education Commission of Pakistan, visited the South Asian University here on Saturday.
His visit was a key highlight of the Annual Distinguished Lecture Series organised by the Institute of South Asian Studies (ISAS) at SAU.
During his visit, Professor Qayyum delivered special remarks, emphasising the unique mandate and potential of SAU in fostering education across SAARC countries.
He praised SAU’s role in addressing regional challenges and highlighted the importance of building academic collaborations and partnerships within the SAARC region.
The inaugural lecture of the series was delivered by SAU President Professor K.K. Aggarwal, with Professor Qayyum chairing the session. Professor Qayyum expressed his admiration for SAU’s state-of-the-art campus and reiterated the university’s capacity to effect positive change through education.
Professor Aggarwal, also the founding Vice Chancellor of Indraprastha University and former Chairman of the National Board of Accreditation, underscored SAU’s focus on the SAARC region and its commitment to establishing centres of excellence. These include the Interdisciplinary Centre on Climate Change, Green Transition, and Sustainability, as well as the recently launched Institute of South Asian Studies. The director of ISAS, Professor Sanjay Chaturvedi, highlighted the core principle of “Southasianess” that underpins the university’s mission to build bridges across borders.
South Asian University (SAU) is an international institution established and funded by the governments of the eight SAARC member states: Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, the Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka.
Since its inception in 2010, SAU has offered bachelor’s, master’s, and PhD programs in fields including economics, computer science, biotechnology, international relations, legal studies, mathematics, and sociology.
SAU attracts students from across South Asia, with degrees recognised by all member countries.
Many graduates have pursued further studies or found employment both within and beyond the South Asian region.
