VC QAU inaugurates firstever accessibility center
ISLAMABAD, Nov 26 (APP):Firstever Accessibility Centre for Physically Challenged Students was inaugurated here at the cental library of Quaid-i-Azam University (QAU) with the support of varsity’s Alumni Association.
Vice-Chancellor Quaid-i-Azam University Islamabad Prof. Dr. Muhammad Ali Shah inaugurated the center while senior deans, faculty, employees, students and senior members of QAU Alumni Association also attended the inauguration ceremony.
Speaking on the occasion, Dr Muhammad Ali Shah emphasized over student centric policies to facilitate the students at university campus. He appreciated two decades long contribution of QAU Alumni Association for the welfare of enrolled and passed out students of QAU. He said QAU administration would continue to work together with its alumni and benefit from them in undertaking various useful initiatives for the betterment of students.
He also congratulated the chief librarian and staff of the library for initiating the idea of establishing accessibility centre. The speakers said that a number of students with different types of physical disabilities were currently enrolled in Quaid-i-Azam University.
Since the library services are provided on all four floors of the DRSM Library, therefore, it is not always possible for such students to move freely in the library. Moreover, the library design, made in 1974, itself lack such provisions to facilitate students with disabilities. President QAU Alumni Association Sikandar Ahmed Rai, Chief Librarian QAU Muhammad Anwar Ijaz, President Academic Staff Association Dr Aqeel Bukhari, Dr Muhammad Sohaib, Secretary General QAU Alumni Association Murtaza Noor and student representative Ahmed Yar Khoso spoke on the occasion while Shabbir Hussain conducted the proceedings of the ceremony.
They also informed that the center would provide guided services including counselling, job placement and scholarship guidance to the students with all sorts of physical disabilities as well as visual impairment and hearing impairment etc.
The office bearers of the alumni association said during last 20 years, Quaid-i-Azam University Alumni Association has always remained very supportive in new projects of the university especially aimed at welfare of the students.
Therefore, over the request of QAU administration, QAU Alumni Association extended maximum cooperation in support with its senior members for establishment of proposed Accessibility Center at DRSM Library by donating required equipment and furniture.
The enrolled students with some disabilities should not be deprived of the library services and they should also feel themselves at par with other students of the university. They thanked the senior of the association who supported in establishing the accessibility centre within one week team.
On this occasion, as per signed MOU with QAU administration, QAU Alumni Association announced scholarships for the physically challenged students, formation of permanent committee to facilitate physically challenged students, assistance in establishing state of the art, cafeteria, student service centre and diplomatic corner.
