Lahore - A consortium of leading Pakistani universities and technical institutions under a USAID initiative today signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the leading bodies of Pakistan’s gems and jewelry industry to establish the Lahore Centre of Excellence for Creativity and Design.
“We realize that industry inputs and linkages are vital for academic institutions to develop their training, design, mechanics and marketing components,” said USAID Pakistan Mission Director Anne Aarnes. “We also realize that academic preparation is an integral part of creating the skilled entrepreneurs who will help strengthen the gem and jewelry value chain.”
The consortium comprising Beaconhouse National University, National College of Arts, Pakistan School of Fashion Design, the Punjab University College of Art and Design will work together with the Pakistan Gems and Jewelry Development Company, and the Pakistan Council for Scientific and Industrial Research to develop curricula, exchange information, upgrade course offerings, and share laboratory and technical facilities.
“The proposed center will bring both academicians and entrepreneurs together - forming the foundation for a more productive and competitive industry,” USAID’s Anne Aarnes said.
This signing is the product of the Gems and Jewelry Strategic Working Group (SWOG), a USAID-supported body that creates strategies to upgrade production, improve marketing, and understand and meet consumer demand. USAID’s $11.3 million Pakistan Initiative for Strategy Development (PISDAC) project provides support to the Gems and Jewelry SWOG and other industry-specific SWOGs in order to promote sustainable development through economic growth.
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