U.S. Deputy Chief of Mission (DCM) to Pakistan John Hoover inaugurated the International Conference on Sustainable Energy Technologies. The two-day conference is organized by the U.S.-Pakistan Center for Advanced Studies in Energy (USPCAS-E) – a United States Agency for International Development (USAID)-funded project implemented in partnership with the University of Engineering and Technology (UET), Peshawar.

The conference will bring together energy professionals and policymakers from academia, government, electric power companies, and manufacturing industries to exchange information and share ideas related to sustainable energy technologies.

Speaking at the inaugural ceremony, DCM Hoover said, “Our collaboration with the Higher Education Commission and the University of Engineering and Technology, Peshawar to advance higher education is guided by a shared conviction that a well-informed and educated Pakistani workforce can better address these challenges and opportunities in Pakistan and in a globalized world.”

The Deputy Chairman of Planning Commission of Pakistan, Mr. Sartaj Aziz, emphasized the need to involve academia in creating sustainable solutions to address the energy crisis and expressed appreciation to the U.S. Government for its support in establishing the Centers for Advanced Studies.

The USAID-funded USPCAS-E is a joint initiative between the National University of Science and Technology, UET Peshawar, and Arizona State University focused on building Pakistan’s expertise to conduct applied research to meet Pakistan’s energy needs.  As part of USAID’s $127 million U.S.-Pakistan Centers for Advanced Studies program, approximately 100 graduate students and faculty members from USPCAS-E (UET Peshawar) will conduct applied research on energy at Arizona State University by 2019. 

The partnership has also developed curricula, established new laboratories at National University of Science and Technology and UET Peshawar, and initiated exchange programs.