By: khurshidwahab
In a significant stride toward international academic collaboration, Abdul Wali Khan University Mardan (AWKUM) has signed a landmark Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with GLO LLC, a U.S.-based global leader in legal and executive education. The agreement marks a bold step in enhancing Pakistan’s legal education landscape, particularly in the integration of Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) with Islamic jurisprudence and the cultural heritage of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
The signing ceremony, held at AWKUM, was attended by distinguished guests including Senator Zeeshan Khanzada, who lauded the partnership as a “bold academic alliance that not only uplifts Pakistan’s legal education but also projects our traditional jurisprudence to global academic platforms.”
The MoU was officially signed by Professor Dr. Muhammad Zubair Khan, Chairman of the Department of Law at AWKUM and Dr. Jo Chitlik, Senior Fellow at Emory University’s Center for the Study of Law and Religion on behalf of Global Learning Online LLC (GLO), in Atlanta, Georgia, USA. The event was convened by Prof. Dr. Jamil Ahmad, Vice Chancellor of AWKUM, and attended by prominent faculty and administrative staff members including Dr. Noor Jehan, Dr. Muhammad Arif, Abdus Samad Khan, and Dr. Tariq Mehmood, Director of ORIC AWKUM.
Vice Chancellor Dr. Jamil Ahmad remarked, “This collaboration is a testament to AWKUM’s ongoing commitment to academic innovation, international engagement, and culturally rooted pedagogy.”
This academic collaboration is designed to expand the academic knowledge of Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) within the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Province, and through joint academic research initiatives, document the historical evolution of ADR in Pakistan for future generations.
“My team and I are honored to work side by side with our Pakistani counterparts,” said Dr. Jo. Chitlik “As U.S scholars we remain committed to contributing to higher education in Pakistan. Through joint academic research projects, we aim to export, Pakistan’s rich ADR history to our global legal community”.
Dr. Jo Chitlik extended special thanks to The Honorable, Pakistani Senator, Zeeshan Khanzada for his visionary and supportive leadership in advancing education and overseas academic collaborations with KP, to AWKU’s Vice Chancellor, Dr. Jamil Ahmed for his lifelong commitment to quality education, and to Dr. Muhammad Zubair, Chairperson of the Department of Law, who desires to better position the students for the global labor market.
This MOU is an extension of the U.S. Department of State, 2024 Fulbright ADR Pilot Program for Pakistan, developed by Dr. Jo Chitlik and her Emory University Team and GLO LLC and is subject to the formal approval from concerned quarters.
