LAHORE, July 30 : Ms Mary Neil Bryant, Information Resource Officer at Bureau of International Programmes, USA, has said that US government would extend all higher education opportunities to Pakistani university students. She stated this in meeting with Punjab University's Registrar Prof. Dr. Muhammad Naeem Khan at his office, said PU spokesman here on Sunday. On this occasion, the Registrar said that PU was playing a vital role in promotion of quality higher education in the country, adding that the university had progressed leaps and bounds during last seven years.

He said the university introduced new disciplines and launched 21 new academic departments, besides upgrading and granting institute status to a number of academic departments to meet the modern age requirements. While, various sub-departments have been created to launch new masters degree programmes, he added.

Prof Naeem Khan told Ms Bryant that PU was promoting sports and co-curricular activities on equal footings along with academic programmes that had made the PU, the first choice of students for admission.

He said the university was offering courses from undergraduate to Ph.D. level studies, asserting that US government had taken effective steps to support students in South Asia by making available quality higher education opportunities.

In this endeavor, he said, the USA government had also opened Lincoln Corner in the Main Library of the Punjab University, the biggest and oldest seat of learning in South Asia. A large number of faculty members and students were using this facility.

Prof Naeem said the present government had taken revolutionary steps to promote quality education in the country and Higher Education Commission (HEC) was also providing huge funds in this regard.

Ms Bryant lauded the education and research development taking place at Punjab University and assured that US government would continue to support the Lincoln Corner for the benefit of university students and teachers.

She said the USA government would also help the PU to inform its students about the system of education in the States so that students, who would go abroad for higher studies, might not face any problems.

Admitting that Pakistani students had great potential, she said the US government had committed to provide scholarships to some 2,000 students in Pakistan for higher studies in America.

Later, the Registrar on behalf of PU Acting VC Prof. Dr.  Muhammad Arif Butt presented the university shield and a information booklet to the visiting foreign dignitary.