Cheers
I have tried Prezi, an online presentation server, to present my concept note on my ongoing work activity. Prezin is quite nice user friendly and easy to interact presentation making interface. i copy my work's link below, try it and probably it can be saved for powerpoint presentation as well. I would use Prezi somewhere for formal presentation as well.... Have a look, comments and sharing is welcome! Cheers My current work is based on the analysis of Pakistan's national survey databases like Pakistan
Time Use Survey (2007), Pakistan Social And Living Standards Measurement Surveys and Pakistan Demographic and Health Surveys. With my experience and ongoing research on digital datasets in Pakistan, I have learnt that there is a general lack of knowledge about data access and analysis using latest statistical software e.g. Stata. I would like to hold workshops / tutorials about the availability of digital datasets with Pakistan's Federal Board of Statistics (FBS) and how they can be used to advance our current understanding of various issues of housing, transportation, poverty at gender, time and area levels. In January 2001, when i went to the University of Engineering and Technology Lahore for seeking admissions in undergraduate study programs, i was not aware of a non engineering degree in "City and Regional Planning (CRP) " which the University was offering since early 1960s (if i am not mistaken the start time of the course). Reading the degree name as somewhat strange subject area in the list of highly known degrees like Electrical or Mechanical or Civil Engineering, i thought it as a 'new' study area in the prestigious and oldest engineering institution of the country. Somewhat similar was my experience when i talked to many new students as the year passed. The majority of first year students barely knew what this urban planning study is about and what is Pakistan Council of Architects and Town Planners (PCATP), before they actually joined the university or the classes. However, with the passage of time, CRP got huge recognition in the government and the employment opportunities went abundant in both private and public sector organization in the country from Karachi to Peshawar. Reflecting on the past 12 years, i am much proud that the profession has come a long way in its recognition as a required field of study in the rapidly urbanizing country where the problems of spatial planning and demand for live-able communities is growing steadily with time.
However, there is still a long way to go. While the profession has considerable recognition in the form of various Ordinances (like Punjab Local Government Ordinance, 2001), public awareness of the subject area is not up to the standards, it deserves. Similarly, i did not find many government officials and institutions to be much aware about the basic knowledge about Urban Planning domain. As a latest revelation, I am shocked to see the recent news advertisement of Higher Education Commission which required the Urban Planners to present proof of affiliation with Pakistan Engineering Council for their higher study scholarship program. Alas, who will tell Higher Education Commission that PEC has nothing to do with accreditition of CRP degree and PCATP is the right institute for this? Although HEC mentioned PEC affiliation requirement for Engineering Disciplines down below in Eligibility criteria, the requirement of PCATP is not mentioned in the write up at all. I know HEC would never issue a corrigendum for this oversight and will accept PCATP certificate as an eligibility criteria. More annoyingly HEC spokesperson may insist that "PCATP looks like PEC". Does it? i dont think so! I may be over-conscious with this little advertisement (in the daily Jang, dated Sunday, 3, March 2013, link given below); however to be recognized correctly that Urban Planners are affiliated with PCATP is a basic right of every planner. Why to lose a point which marks your existence and status in the national newspaper that can be read all over the world, as i am reading it from Hong Kong. |
AboutDiscussions on social, transportation and urban planning issues with a focus on Pakistan. Archives
April 2016
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List of Health Facilities in Pakistan with Geographic Coordinates as of 2012 added on 01 June 2013
- - - - List of schools in Punjab, Sindh, Balochistan and FATA Provinces as of September 2011 added on 01 June 2013 - - - - Pakistan Time Use Survey Dataset added. - - - - Pakistan's spatial datasets uploaded on April 20, 2013 - - - - Share your data with others on the link below; it will be owned by you and you can invite other collaborators to use it. visitor's mapCategories
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