L A HOR E: P unjab Higher Education Commission former chairman Dr Nizammudin has said there is a need to create specialised universities and community colleges to produce sl(illed graduates according to the demand of government and industry.

Addressing a conference on `Education Policy and Development 2019` at the Punjab University ISCS auditorium here on Friday, he said at the government and industry should present demand to academic institutions regarding the requirement of graduates in various fields.

`We have been successful in increasing access to higher education but we are still facing challenges in ensuring relevance and quality of higher education,` he said, adding appropriate instrument, programmes and funding would be helpful in achieving excellence in higher education sector.

Dr Nizam said there was a need to introduce reforms in curriculum and structure and ensure autonomy of higher education institutions.

Allama Iqbal Open University former vice-chancellor Prof Dr Shahid Siddiqui said the only difference between the developed and developing countries was knowledge. `Knowledge is directly connected to power and politics. Through power we control bodies and minds and latter is more important. Therefore, the government must allocate at least four percent of GDP to education,` he added.

Director ISCS Dr Rubina Zakar also spoke.

GCU: Japanese Deputy Chief of Mission to Pakistan Yusulche Shindo has said that Japanese people do not compromise their traditions, values and culture in their journey of development and modernisation.

Speaking at an event in the Government College University here on Friday, Mr Yusukhe Shindo said Japanese people valued harmony and etiquette the most and their culture placed great emphasis on personal responsibility, politeness, and showing respect to others.

GCU Political Science Department Chairperson Prof Dr Khalid Manzoor Butt said that Japanese were the most respected tribe in the world and one must learn from them that how they opted modernity without compromising their traditions, values and culture.