Press Briefing by the Vice Chancellor

Prof. Dr. Najma Najam, the first woman Vice Chancellor of Karakoram International University (KIU), appearing first time before media here on Friday termed the challenges being faced by this nascent university higher than "Gilgit-Mountains" but said with people's backing they would meet the challenges overcome them to bring KIU in to international visibility.
Prof. Dr. Najma Najam, who is founding VC of Fatima Jinnah Women University (FJWU) Rawalpindi has been appointed after the end of the tenure of Dr Aziz Ali Najam.
"There are a lot of issues and challenges ahead but if people and media co-operate with us, we would definitely succeed in transforming the university into one of the best educational institutions of the world," she said in her first-ever detailed talk with the journalists after assuming charge of her office, at KIU hall.

Known as "Iron Lady" for her strictness in administrative and academic matters at FJWU, Dr Najma Najam said she would ensure merit and transparency at all levels in the KIU.
Responding to a question, the VC admitted that the delay in release of funds to KIU had turned things difficult for the management but said they were in contact with other granting organizations such as donor agencies to pull in funds for smooth running of matters. On the issues of court cases, the Iron Lady said that she would try to settle the cases purely in line with rules and regulations of the institution to move towards a smooth functional of KIU (statutory bodies and academics activities)
Unveiling her future plans, Dr Najma Najam said that a plan to launch Institute of Communication Studies in the coming years was on cards which she said could be started next year.
Asked if the KIU had any plans to preserve various dialects being spoken in the region, she said that she had recently visited the 'Institute of Sindhology' at Sindh and was impressed to see how well they had presented the culture heritage, language etc would be replicated in the KIU. Foreign donor agencies were being contacted for financial assistance as well as this museum & library as teaching and research on mountain areas languages and cultures would be a major project of KIU.
On the issues of poor ranking of KIU and quality of education, Dr Najma said that the university was in its infancy stage but hoped that with the passage of time it would be brought at par with rest of the universities. She said HEC had allowed them access to 20,000 online journals but regretted that low internet speed was the main hurdle barring access to these journals.
She said that teaching development workshops would be organized for capacity building of faculty members and faculty would be supported for research out put.
The VC also pointed out that in spite of its infancy KIU Alumni were selected and working in major national and international organization.
The Registrar KIU said that the KIU management in the past had signed agreements with about nine foreign professors to impart latest and modern education to the students but said the Lal Masjid episode followed with imposition of emergency in the country prevented those from coming to NAs.
Dr Ahsanullah Mir, Registrar and Mohammad Hussain, Additional Registrar KIU assisted the VC during the briefing while several other senior officials of the university were present on the occasion.