2nd Quarterly Progress Report: Jan – March 2015

AID-391-A-15-00003. The project aims to establish a world-class education and research center dedicated to solving water-related problems in Pakistan. The Governance of the CAS and the Higher Education Commission component has achieved notable results despite facing several challenges. Two out of five approved key personnel were mobilized immediately after the project signing, followed by a team of four professors who were named in the Request for Application (RFA). This gave the project a strong start and enabled compliance with project conditions. The Project Management Unit has been established, and structured meetings have been initiated and documented. All positions have been advertised in leading newspapers, and the shortlisting/scrutiny process has been completed. The schedule of interviews and tests has been decided, and all required plans, including the Annual Implementation Plan and Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) Plan, have been finalized and submitted on time. The Curriculum Reform component is being implemented to meet the needs of the public and private sectors. A Curriculum Advisory Committee/sub-committee and working groups have been formed to identify and design courses with international standards and market applicability. A strong partnership with the University of Utah (UU) has been established, and regular interaction has been developed through email exchanges and Skype meetings. A list of new courses, including mandatory/common and elective courses, has been identified and agreed upon for four disciplines. The High-quality Applied Research component has gained momentum from the very inception. Research committees/sub-committees and working groups have been formed, and many research themes/areas have been identified. Three main activities have been initiated, and the identification process of integrated research themes and external funding sources has almost been completed. Research grants formats have also been devised. The Graduate and Postgraduate Training component has been initiated with the identification of three master's degree courses and four PhD courses. After long consultations with UU, it has been agreed to initiate admissions in three disciplines. The eligibility criterion for admission in the Master's programs has been finalized, and the eligibility criterion for admission in the PhD programs is under discussion and being finalized before the advertisement. A training and exchange program has also been designed, and it has been decided to initiate exchange visits for faculty members from year 1. The Sustainability through Industry/Private Sector Links component has been considered the backbone of the program for realizing the long-term vision. Main activities undertaken on this include the establishment of the Board of Governors (BoGs), which also represents the private sector and industry. Partnerships with the public sector (Irrigation Department Sindh) and the International Water Management Institute have been initiated. A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) has been drafted and shared with the Irrigation Department. A long-term partnership with UU has been established, and it will likely continue beyond the project life. PCAS-W-UU has established a consortium led by UU, with the collaboration of Colorado State University (CSU), City University of New York (CUNY), Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI), and UNESCO Institute for Higher Education (IHE-W). The concept of establishing an Endowment Fund for PCAS-W has been conceived and designed, and the MUET leadership has agreed to maintain the endowment fund at PCAS-W on a long-term basis. The project has made significant progress in the first quarter of 2015, and all components are on track to achieve their objectives. The project management unit has been established, and structured meetings have been initiated and documented. The project has also established partnerships with various stakeholders, including the public and private sectors, and international organizations. The project is expected to continue making progress in the coming quarters and achieve its long-term vision of establishing a world-class education and research center dedicated to solving water-related problems in Pakistan.