International Genetically Engineered Machine (iGEM), a foundation in Boston, Massachusetts – USA, arranged a genetic engineering competition in which a team of undergraduate students from Peshawar won a silver medal.

The team comprised of students from different cities of Pakistan which included Lahore, Attock, Islamabad, Multan, Faisalabad, Khyber Agency, Nowshera, Charsadda, Peshawar, Swabi and Mardan. 

Directorate of Science and Technology, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (KP) sponsored the team while the team was hosted by Institute of Integrative Biosciences of CECOS University of IT and Emerging Sciences Peshawar.

The team formulated a genetically engineered fish named “Reporter Fish” which can detect five various types of heavy metals and it can also change colour to show that a mental contamination is present in the water. Arduino electronic circuit board along with bacterial-human interface device has been used which enables bacteria to be noted and reports contamination.

At the start of year, 3 people from NUST Pakistan also won first place in a competition arranged by Stanford Centre of Longevity - USA. They designed a device that allows tremor patients to perform daily tasks.

Such achievements by the students of Pakistan can be considered to be the outcomes of improved higher education since the year 2000. According to a report published in the year 2013 – 14 by Higher Education Commission in Pakistan: 255,000 Pakistanis are admitted in vocational training schools, over 3 million students are enrolled in over 1086 degree colleges and 161 universities.

Half a million graduates and over 10,000 IT graduate are being produced in Pakistan since 2010. The number of students who graduated from the universities in Pakistan has also increased from 380,773 to 493,993 from 2008 to 2009.

Students from Pakistan, scientists and researchers are producing highly recognized research work and over the years, enrolment in higher education has also been observed to be on a rise which is surely contributing a boost to the academic talent and creativity in Pakistan.   

British Council Pakistan strives to support universities, institutions and other education decision makers in their advancement and partnership development strategies to consequently strengthen collaboration within local universities and UK institutions.

For details on partnership development, contact the SIEM Pakistan team for customised consultancy offers.

To establish and increase the brand awareness of your institution in Pakistan, book a SIEM digital campaign here.

To contact the SIEM Pakistan team, please get in touch with Saman Imtiaz, Head SIEM, Pakistan at saman.imtiaz@britishcouncil.org.pk CC: siemsouthasia@britishcouncil.org

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