Lahore College for Women University to establish cooperation and linkage with Gender and Development Studies at AIT
As part of a move toward expanding and re-energizing the UNESCO network of Women's Universities, AIT's Gender and Development Studies is to establish a link with Lahore College for Women University (LCWU). Founded in 1922 in Lahore, Pakistan as Lahore College for Women, this institution that gained its university charter in 2002, has a mission to serve the female population of Pakistan and hence the nation through the dissemination of knowledge, the development of new knowledge, the preservation of knowledge. LCWU has approximately 6,000 students.
AIT President Said Irandoust will be travelling to Lahore on 1 May 2007 upon the invitation of Prof. Bushra Mateen, Vice Chancellor LCWU, Pakistan, to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) which will lead to a new initiative of establishing a centre of excellence as well as a network of women's universities and institutions that have gender and development studies in Asia.
The MoU, which will be effective for a period of 4 years from the date of signing, will provide scholarships for 3 LCWU staff members to pursue either master's or doctoral studies at AIT on an annual basis. In effect, during the 4 year period 12 LCWU staff members will further their studies at AIT. Furthermore, 6 staff members from LCWU will also undergo short-term training courses at AIT for duration of 4 weeks. This MoU was discussed and negotiated by the Director of the Golden Jubilee Fundraising Campaign, under the leadership of the Vice President for Development and Resources.