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KARACHI: Karachi University will establish a Japanese language and cultural institute on it campus while its students and faculty members will visit Japanese universities under a collaborative programme.

The KU announced this on Monday following a meeting of Japanese Consul General in Karachi Toshikazu Isomura with Prof Khalid Iraqi, the acting vice chancellor.

“Japan and Pakistan have strong friendly relations that can be further strengthened with collaboration in the higher education sector.

“It is a pleasure to see that the University of Karachi is keen to build linkages with Japanese universities,” says a KU press release, quoting the Japanese consul general as saying during his meeting with the vice chancellor.

Prof Iraqi said the consul general had assured him that a lecture series through video conferencing would soon start between the Tokyo University and the KU.

“The meeting is an initial step to promote cooperation between the KU and and the Japanese universities. A Japanese language and cultural centre will help students to learn a great language and get familiarize with a fascinating and multifaceted culture,” he said.

Workshop concludes

A three-day international workshop titled ‘Management Aspects of Biosafety and Creating a Culture of Biosafety’ organised by the KU’s Dr. A. Q. Khan Institute of Biotechnology & Genetic Engineering (KIBGE) concluded in a local hotel.

The workshop was organised in collaboration with the Fogarty International, National Institute of Health (NIH), the United States (US).

Welcoming guests, institute director general Prof Abid Azhar spoke about the importance of having a biosafety culture and establishing its appropriate levels.

He was of the opinion that a training workshop on such a vital and sensitive issue was the need of the hour.

Foreign experts Mr Tim Trevan and Dr Phillippe Stroot lauded Pakistani enthusiasm for learning new techniques and said Pakistan had become their second home, which they kept visiting with regularity despite security advice.

Prof Iraqi said the real motive of science should be safeguarding and upholding human values and rights. “Relations between different societies of the world can be developed and maintained through cooperation in scientific pursuits. Science has revolutionised human life and its credit goes to scientists alone,” he observed.

Dr Ziba Rasmussen of the NIH told the audience about the continuous efforts her organisation was making in creating awareness for Pakistan in the field of biosafety and biosecurity.

Originally published in Dawn, July 19th, 2016