U.S. - Pakistan Center for Advanced Studies in Water – USPCAS-W

The USPCAS-W is part of a broader higher education initiative launched in Pakistan with financial support from the United States Government through its Agency for International Development (USAID). The objective of this initiative is to enhance the capacity of Pakistan's higher education institutions to contribute solutions to Pakistan's development challenges.

The initiative entails the establishment of three Centers for Advanced Studies in water, energy and agriculture & food security in four selected Pakistani universities. USPCAS-W is one of the three Centers focused on identifying and developing solutions for the multifaceted water-related challenges facing the country. The Center is housed at the MUET at Jamshoro. (water.muet.edu.pk)

The Center will contribute solutions to Pakistan's water-related challenges by educating and training the next generation of water sustainability leaders through advanced academic training in different water-related disciplines. The tangible deliverables of the Center include postgraduate degree programs, applied policy research, facilitation of public-private partnerships, and provision of policy advice in a range of water-related disciplines.

The Center promotes partnerships with the academic institutions, government and the business community to seek applied research solutions that strengthen the effectiveness of policy-making and drive Innovation, Competitiveness and Economic Growth.

MUET-University of Utah Partnership

The University of Utah (UU), USA (water.utah.edu), was selected by USAID as the technical assistance partner of MUET for advancing the development and growth of USPCAS-W.

As the state's flagship university, the UU offers more than 100 undergraduate majors and more than 92 graduate degree programs. With a long running tradition of academic and research excellence, the UU has long been involved in a range projects reaching across the globe.

Key organizational strengths of UU include: capacity building and international development, institutional development, change management, technology and venture commercialization, curriculum development and reform, research productivity, research infrastructure building, data modeling and analysis, effective teaching and training, distance education, global engagement and sustainability.

The MUET-UU partnership initially covered the following areas of cooperation: curriculum development, applied research, training, exchange visits, governance, and cross-cutting issues like gender empowerment, outreach and networking, fundraising, technology commercialization, and institutional sustainability.

Why Study at USPCAS-W?

Main thrust of our higher education program in water is to contribute solutions towards achieving water security in Pakistan. Accordingly, we aim at training and inspiring the next generation of water sector professionals to meet specialized demands of government, municipalities, and industry.

  • We train students who not only excel in applied engineering, but aim to connect advances in engineering to society's most challenging problems.
  • Our programs and courses respond to the present and projected needs of Pakistan's water industry. So one can expect high demand for the graduates of these programs across the board.
  • We promote and facilitate students' interaction with the visiting faculty and outside experts to enhance their understanding about emerging water issues and their possible solutions.
  • We create networking opportunities for the students, thus enabling them to interact with a range of stakeholders to explore internship and employment opportunities.
  • Our applied research program is multi-disciplinary in nature and developed within the broader context of the water-development nexus to support science- engineering-policy interface in Pakistan's water sector.
  • The Center is constructing a new state of the art building with modern teaching and research infrastructure and learning facilities, all of which will contribute towards the professional growth and development of students.

Program Features:

  • Global academic linkages
  • Modern teaching & research infrastructure
  • Networking & Internship opportunities
  • Opportunity to work on applied research projects
  • Career counseling for employment

Females are strongly encouraged to apply.

Important Note:

MS: Minimum of 2.5 CGPA (out of 4.0 in the semester system) or First Division (in the annual system) in a bachelor's degree (4 years of university education) in a relevant field from a HEC recognized university or degree-awarding institution.

50% cumulative score in an internationally or nationally recognized test or 50% marks in a GRE (general) type test conducted by the university.

Ph.D.: Minimum of 3.0 CGPA (out of 4.0 in the semester system) or First Division (in the annual system) in a Master's degree (6 years of university education) in a relevant field from a HEC recognized university or degree-awarding institution.

60% cumulative score in an internationally or nationally recognized test or 70% marks in a GRE (general) type test conducted by the university.