On August 30, 2023, the fifth exposure visit of the year 2023 was held by the International Center for Refugee and Migration Studies (ICRMS) at BUITEMS University, Quetta. A group of faculty members and students from School No. 49 of Surkhab Afghan refugee camp, along with members of civil society organizations, were invited for the exposure visit. The visitors were received by the ICRMS and BUITEMS staff, who gathered at the Orange Hall. The main purpose of the exposure visit was to inform Afghan refugee students about the opportunities and services available for them to access these resources and secure admission in the universities in Balochistan. The preliminary session for the exposure was moderated by Ms. Nafisa Nasar. The visit formally started with the recitation of the Holy Quran, followed by an introductory video of ICRMS that provided an insightful glimpse into the mission and objectives of ICRMS and encapsulated the heart and soul of the organization’s endeavors.
Subsequently, Mr. Salar Khan, Deputy Director of Academics at BUITEMS, presented a comprehensive introduction of BUITEMS University, its mission, core values, and objectives. Mr. Khan also thoroughly discussed the facilities, admission process, scholarship opportunities, and statistical data on Afghan refugee students’ admission at BUITEMS. He regarded the exposure visit as BUITEMS’ commitment to its core value of social responsibility. Moreover, Mr. Khan reiterated BUITEMS’ promise to facilitate Afghan refugee students through collaboration with UNHCR. The session was followed by a question-answer session, during which faculty members and students from the school asked questions related to their concerns.
Afterward, Mr. Tauqeer Ahmad, Assistant Project Manager at SCSPEB, shared his valuable thoughts about the event and appreciated the initiative. He suggested more events of this kind for Afghan refugee students, as these events effectively spread awareness about tertiary-level education among Afghan refugee students.
Following the sessions, the students were taken on an exposure visit of BUITEMS. They visited various facilities, including the Computer Labs, Laboratories, Youth Development Center, Research Center, National Incubation Center (NIC), Library, Digital Library, indoor and outdoor sports facilities. The staff provided briefings about sports resources and membership procedures. During the visit, students were briefed about entrepreneurial and skill development opportunities for Afghan refugees. Moreover, the students visited the ICRMS office, where Mr. Shar Yar, Project Assistant at ICRMS, briefed them about the availability of mentoring, career counseling, and assistance related to university admissions or ICRMS activities and events. The students were encouraged to stay updated through ICRMS’ website, YouTube channel, and Twitter handle.
At the end of the exposure visit, the school principal and Mr. Tauqeer Ahmad were presented with honorary shields, and certificates of participation were distributed among the students. Finally, the exposure visit concluded with refreshments for the visitors at the refreshment hall, ending the visit on a positive note.
