DHA Lahore Pledges Support for the LUMS National Outreach Programme

In a significant step towards fostering access to education for talented and deserving students, the Defence Housing Authority (DHA) Lahore has partnered with LUMS. This partnership was formalised at a MoU signing ceremony held on June 26, 2023, where Dr. Arshad Ahmad, Vice Chancellor, LUMS, and Brigadier Waheed Gull Satti, SI (M), Administrator DHA, signed the agreement. This collaboration marks a generous pledge of support from DHA towards the LUMS National Outreach Programme (NOP), an initiative that aims to provide quality education opportunities to students from disadvantaged backgrounds.

Initiated in 2001, the NOP furthers the University’s longstanding vision of providing world-class education to talented students across the country, regardless of their financial circumstances. The Programme won the global Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE) Platinum Award 2021 in the ‘Best Practices in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion’ category. The CASE Platinum Awards recognise world-class programmes and practices in educational advancement.

Attendees at the ceremony included Colonel Muhammad Iqbal (Retired), Secretary DHA; Brigadier Manzar Bashir (Retired), Director HR; Colonel Syed Muhammad Tehseen Yazdani (Retired), Director HR (A); Lieutenant Colonel Syed Azhar Mehdi Kazmi (Retired), Additional Director Coordination; Colonel Muhammad Rashid Abbasi (Retired), Director Maintenance; Colonel Zafar Iqbal (Retired), Director Legal (B), and Major Abdur Rehman Khurram Butt (Retired), Deputy Director Human Resource.

Representing the LUMS delegation were Dr. Tariq Jadoon, Provost; Mr. Tariq Sheikh, Head Cyber Security and Compliance; Ms. Nuzhat Kamran, Director Advancement, and Mr. Imran Nadeem, Donor Relationship Lead, Advancement.

The occasion served as a platform for discussions on potential areas of collaboration between LUMS and DHA, such as research initiatives, executive training programmes, and recruitment opportunities. Brigadier Satti took the opportunity to express his profound appreciation for the NOP. He emphasised DHA's unwavering commitment to supporting educational endeavours that create lasting social change.

Dr. Arshad Ahmad, in his remarks, expressed gratitude for the generous support extended by DHA and highlighted the transformative impact such partnerships can have on society. He reiterated LUMS' dedication to providing quality education to talented individuals regardless of their socio-economic background, ensuring equal opportunities for all.

The partnership between LUMS and DHA signifies a shared vision of building a brighter future for the country through education. It sets the stage for a future multidimensional partnership, characterised by a shared commitment to excellence, accessibility, and social empowerment.