Punjab varsities form ISLAH consortium to boost collaboration

Five public sector universities in Punjab have formed a consortium aimed at strengthening collaborative research, faculty development, and student mobility.
The Vice Chancellors of the University of Kamalia, Ghazi University Dera Ghazi Khan, Thal University Bhakkar, University of Education Lahore, and Government College University (GCU) Lahore signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in Kamalia on Sunday to formally launch the “ISLAH Consortium” — short for Innovation, Skills, Learning, Academics and Hope.

The initiative brings together newly established universities with institutions that have been part of Punjab’s higher education landscape for more than a century. Collectively, the partner institutions represent the province’s full geographical footprint, from Lahore to southern Punjab, with plans to expand the consortium nationwide.

According to the MoU, the consortium will work on joint research programmes, faculty training, student exchanges, community outreach, and resource sharing. A series of conferences, student-focused initiatives, and collaborative projects are also scheduled to take place across the participating campuses in the coming months.

Explaining the vision and philosophy and vision behind this initiative, GCU Vice Chancellor Prof. Dr. Muhammad Omer Chaudhary said the consortium seeks to build on Pakistan’s long intellectual traditions and the momentum of the past three decades of higher education growth. “Despite limited resources, Pakistani universities have shown resilience and progress in global rankings. Through ISLAH, we want to strengthen this trajectory by pooling our resources and strengths,” he remarked.

The consortium is designed to provide “future-ready graduates” by ensuring continuous improvements in academic quality