Accessibility Center inaugurated at QAU

Islamabad :In support with Quaid-i-Azam University (QAU) Alumni Association, first ever Accessibility Centre for Physically Challenged Students was inaugurated by Vice-Chancellor Quaid-i-Azam University Islamabad Prof. Dr. Muhammad Ali Shah at the central library of QAU Islamabad here on Tuesday.

The inauguration ceremony was attended by senior deans, faculty, employees, students and senior members of QAU Alumni Association. Speaking on the occasion, Dr Muhammad Ali Shah emphasised over student centric policies to facilitate the students at the university campus. He appreciated two decades long contribution of QAU Alumni Association for the welfare of the present and old students of QAU.

He said that QAU administration would continue to work together with its alumni and benefit from them in undertaking various useful initiatives for the betterment of the students. He also congratulated to 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 are currently studying 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 due to their disabilities.

Moreover, the library design that was 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.

It was 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 that 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, so that 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.