KU, Al Kauser Inc. inks MoU to provide scholarships to students

The University of Karachi and the US-based organization Al Kauser Inc., signed the memorandum of understanding at the Vice Chancellor Secretariat on Wednesday. As per the MoU, Al Kauser would provide scholarships for the students of the University of Karachi.

The MoU documents were inked by the KU VC Professor Dr Khalid Mahmood Iraqi and the Pakistani representative for Al Kauser, Syed Qaim Mehdi.

The KU Registrar Professor Dr Imran Ahmed Siddiqi, deans of the faculties of arts and social science Professor Dr Shaista Tabassum, Islamic studies Professor Dr Zahid Ali Zahidi, management and administrative sciences Professor Dr Zaeema Asrar Mohiuddin, Director Finance Syed Jehanzeb, Controller of Examinations Dr Syed Zafar Hussain, in-charge Semester Cell Professor Dr Taseer Ahmed Khan, Students’ Advisor Dr Nosheen Raza Khan, Campus Security Advisor Dr Syed Asim Ali, Provost Girls Hostel Professor Dr Samina Saeed, Advisor for International Students Dr Shumaila Shafket Ali, Professor Dr Farah Iqbal, Director Office of Research, Innovation and Commercialization Dr Syeda Hoor ul Ain, medical consultant Dr Akmal Waheed, and in-charge Students Financial Aid Office Dr Zi Asma Haneef Khan, and from Al Kauser Mohsin Raza, Mushtaq Ali, S. M. Raza, Wajahat Hussain, Professor Dr Sikander Mehdi and others were present on this occasion.

Qaim Mehdi informed the members that Al Kauser started working in the education and medical fields in 2008 and later expanded its work by providing relief to flood victims in the country. He mentioned that in 2018, around 40 students from the University of Karachi were getting scholarships, and now the numbers are increasing from 150 to over 200 students every year.

He shared that Al Kauser, based in New Jersey, is already providing scholarships to KU students, but after the signing of this MoU, they can easily increase the pool of funds dedicated to scholarships for KU students.

The KU VC Professor Dr Khalid Iraqi appreciated the role of Al Kauser for providing financial assistance at the time of admissions and afterwards and said that such initiatives are helping the universities a lot.

He said that the massive increase in inflation and employment issues as well as other factors has made it quite difficult for youngsters to achieve their dreams of studying in universities. He shared that the University of Karachi was the only varsity across the country that allowed students to continue their studies even though they were unable to pay tuition fees during the Covid-19 pandemic time due to various reasons. However, he added, the majority of students misused the opportunity and did not clear their dues to date, which has put an extra financial burden on the campus.

The KU VC Professor Dr Khalid Iraqi hoped that the Higher Education Commission Islamabad would increase the amount allocated in the grant, which has been the same since 2018, in the future to reduce the financial bar from universities.