PM Shehbaz unveils vision for Daanish University

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has called for the proposed Daanish University to become a model institution that gives talented students from financially disadvantaged and middle-income families access to international-standard education and professional training.

The prime minister chaired a review meeting on the university’s development in Islamabad on Thursday, where officials presented updates on its proposed academic structure, faculty recruitment and campus design.

Prime Minister Shehbaz stressed that the institution should not simply follow the conventional university model. Instead, he directed officials to ensure that Daanish University develops an education system that is distinct, modern and focused on excellence.

Focus on talented students

According to the briefing, one of the central objectives behind the university is to provide high-quality education to academically capable students who may otherwise struggle to afford opportunities at leading institutions.

The prime minister directed authorities to give particular attention to outreach programmes so that students from economically weaker and middle-income backgrounds are made aware of the university and can access its opportunities.

He also instructed officials to prepare detailed plans for the project, including a construction timeline, and submit them within the next two weeks.

The emphasis on outreach is intended to ensure that the university does not remain accessible only to students from major urban centres or privileged backgrounds.

International faculty and academic partnerships

Officials briefed the meeting that Daanish University plans to recruit internationally recognised faculty members with degrees and academic experience from leading universities around the world.

Efforts are also reportedly in the final stages to engage a prominent college in the United States to support the university’s academic and teaching system.

The meeting was briefed on recent discussions regarding the proposed collaboration, as well as details of the faculty structure being considered for the institution.

If implemented as planned, the international academic partnerships could provide students with exposure to modern teaching practices and globally relevant academic standards.

State-of-the-art campus planned

The university is also expected to feature a modern, state-of-the-art campus based on internationally used design standards.

Officials said the bidding process for construction would begin soon. The proposed campus design and development plan were presented to the prime minister during the meeting.

Shehbaz Sharif’s emphasis was clear: Daanish University should be built around opportunity, merit and quality rather than simply becoming another conventional higher education institution.

The meeting was attended by Federal Ministers Dr Musadik Masood Malik and Attaullah Tarar, Chairman Prime Minister’s Youth Programme Rana Mashhood Ahmad Khan, members of the Daanish University Board and senior officials.

With plans for international faculty, foreign academic collaboration and a modern campus taking shape, the government hopes the project can create a new pathway for talented students from less-privileged families to compete at an international level.