The Chairman, National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (NEPRA), Mr. Tauseef H. Farooqi was recently invited to visit the LUMS campus in Lahore. He was joined by representatives from seven NEPRA licensee organisations, which have done tremendous work towards social initiatives, particularly within the areas of renewable energy.
The aim of the meeting at LUMS was to discuss avenues of collaboration with the University. The visiting organisations included K-Electric, Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission (PAEC), Water and Power Development Authority (WAPDA), Engro Energy, China Power Hub Generation Company (CPHGC), Karot Power and Kot Addu Power Company (KAPCO).
Mr. Farooqi and the other visitors were welcomed by the University’s senior leadership. These included LUMS Provost, Dr. Tariq Jadoon, Associate Dean of Student Affairs, Dr. Bilal Ahsan Malik and Director of Advancement, Ms. Nuzhat Kamran. Alumni and students also participated in the session.
During the welcome address by Dr. Jadoon, he praised the CSR initiatives undertaken by Mr. Farooqi in the areas of education, health, environment, and others. He congratulated Mr. Farooqi on setting up the CSR department at NEPRA in 2020 with a focus on Sustainable Development Goals. He also shared how LUMS faculty experiment with innovative instructional and learning techniques and seek to create impact through cross-disciplinary research in the areas, water informatics, energy, linguistics, and economics among several others.
This was followed by a presentation by Ms. Kamran elaborating how over the last three decades, the University has evolved into Pakistan’s leading institution with an immeasurable impact on business and society. “This has been achieved through our donors, who have supported the University’s mission of providing a world-class education to students, enabled ground-breaking research, and helped LUMS become a premier learner-centred institution,” she added.
She also highlighted the University’s commitment to inclusive education through its signature National Outreach Programme (NOP). Providing an overview of the NOP’s transformative experience for scholars from disadvantaged backgrounds, she shared the multiplier effect of this initiative as they come full circle to give back to their communities.
Dr. Malik elaborated on the support services provided to NOP scholars during their time at LUMS with regards to academic advisement. “LUMS spends considerable resources in actively finding talented students in order to give them a fair chance and a level playing field. NOP students are supported in three key areas: helping them settle in at LUMS, providing them with resources to succeed during their time at the University, and preparing them for their future careers,” he shared.
Speaking at the event, NOP alumni, Ms. Adeela Sarfraz, Class of 2009 and Mr. Hafiz Ali Naeem, Class of 2016 and CSS topper, shared their inspiring journeys at LUMS and how they went on to achieve success in their respective fields. They credited the University for providing them with the foundation for their achievements. Mr. Farooqi, a graduate of LUMS MBA Class of 1996, praised the University’s NOP scholarship as “transformative” that impacts the lives of students, their families as well as their communities. He also spoke about his own journey as a student at LUMS and discussed the various CSR initiatives undertaken by NEPRA, the most prominent of which is the ‘Power with Prosperity’ programme.
The event served to be a starting point where licensees were really excited to collaborate with LUMS.
