Assess Your Digital Skills

How much time of the day are you spending online? How would you rate your digital productivity?

Pakistan is facing a digital skills shortage. Our workforce is unable to meet the rapidly changing, technological future. There is not a shortage of skilled labor but a skill mismatch between the person’s potential and skill. Your digital proficiency will lead you to digital productivity. You need to develop your digital skills by reflecting upon your digital capabilities. 

What are Digital Skills?

Digital skills are the abilities required to use digital technologies. The skills used to run digital devices, access, evaluate, create, and share digital content. These skills are important to work in the fast-evolving digital world.

How Digitally Capable are you?

Digital capability means the extent of adaptation to digital culture and infrastructure. JISC Digital Capability Framework highlights the six key areas of digital capability.

1. ICT Proficiency (functional skills)

2. Information, data, and media literacies (critical skills)

3. Digital creation, problem-solving, and innovation (creative skills)

4. Digital communication, collaboration, and participation (participation)

5. Digital learning and development (development)

6. Digital identity and wellbeing. (self-actualizing)

Not getting into details of any of these, else you will not continue reading the blog further. 

Hopefully, you would have accessed your digital capabilities in your mind. Now let's step forward to evaluate your digital skills.

Digital Skills Checklist:

a. Digital tools for working incorporate your competency with the system and digital devices.

b. Digital ways of working hold account for digital communication, collaboration, and analysis.

c. Digital ways of thinking include digital creativity, innovation, and problem-solving.

d. Our social and ethical responsibility is living in the digital age, digital safety, and security. 

From entry-level digital skills to advanced levels digital skills, it is a lifelong learning process leading to self-fulfillment at each level. The more step ahead you are on the list, the more chances of excelling in an irreversible process. 

Enough assessments for today. There are so many components of digital skills always finding room for development. Believe it or not,

"In the age of the machine, people matter more than ever."

Higher Education and Digital Skills

Universities matter but there exists education without institutions. Education is not bound to well-established institutions only. It is free to capture as per your potential. Superseding various levels of development, from vocational and technical skills we have shifted to E-skills. E-skills are demand-driven skills on the national and international facet. Think of how your grandfathers and their grandfathers surpassed their livelihood. Jobs were at their basic level at that time. The job entrance level gained pace in the 18^th century with urbanization and industrial disruption. Today Industry Revolution 5.0 is much more than automation, efficiency, and effectiveness. It is based upon your collaborative human, social, and digital needs.

Higher Education Institutions are the most prestigious institutions. The revolving trends of the job market have created a visible gap between the employer and the graduate. Today higher education is based on theoretical aspects incompatible and irrelevant to industrial desires. They are training students for jobs that are disappearing. Where are the new skills and new knowledge? Students are unfamiliar with the operation and application of the knowledge gained. They do not know the use of a common technology device. They cannot access if they do possess a certain skill set or not. Their problem-solving and critical thinking skills are immobile. They lack visualization and innovation. There is always a set of unemployed people who are unable and not capable to acquire a certain job because of their poor knowledge and competence.

Can you consider such a graduate a digital citizen?

An inexperienced graduate without any knowledge about innovation and creativity skills, interpersonal skills, technological skills, problem-solving skills, personalized learning, self-paced learning, collaborative learning, inclusive learning, and student-driven learning, cannot be considered a Global Digital Citizen. The Computer Science Reality is nothing without Collective Social Responsibility. One needs to escape the mindset that machines will take over humans. No machine can overrule humans only if the biological ecosystem surrenders before the digital ecosystem. Live with the augmented and virtual realities. Adapt the technology do not abandon it.

NUML SDGs MARATHON-SDG#12

Group members: Asma Zahid & Labia Khan

Semester: 4th - Morning

Department: Governance and public policy

WHAT DOES SDG ‘GOAL 12’ SAY?

The official wording of SDG 12 is "Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns".

Our planet has given us an abundance of natural resources. But we have not used it properly and yet it consumes more than our planet can afford. We must learn to use and produce in sustainable ways that will reverse the damage we have caused to the world. sustainable consumption and production are about promoting resource and energy efficiency, sustainable infrastructure, and providing access to basic services, green and decent jobs, and a better quality of life for all.

According to United Nations:

 “Sustainable consumption and production is about promoting resource and energy efficiency, sustainable infrastructure, and providing access to basic services, green and decent jobs and a better quality of life for all. Its implementation helps to achieve overall development plans, reduce future economic, environmental and social costs, strengthen economic competitiveness and reduce poverty.”

 There are almost 11 targets and 13 indicators under the domain of SDG Goal 12.

 FACTS:

 l  1.3 billion tonnes of food is wasted every year, while almost 2 billion people go hungry or undernourished.

l  The food sector accounts for around 22 percent of total greenhouse gas emissions, largely from the conversion of forests into farmland.

 l  Only 3 percent of the world’s water is fresh (drinkable), and humans are using it faster than nature can replenish. On daily basis, we use 10 billion tons of fresh water.

 l  If people everywhere switched to energy-efficient lightbulbs, the world would save US$120 billion annually.

 l  One-fifth of the world’s final energy consumption in 2013 was from renewable sources.

TARGETS OF SDG GOAL 12:

 l  Implement  the 10 year of framework of programmed on sustainable consumption and production  Patterns.

l  By 2030,  achieve the sustainable management and efficient use of natural resources.

l  By 2030, substantially reduce waste  generation through Prevention, Reduction, Reuse and Recycle.

l  Encourage Companies especially large and transitional companies.

l  Support developing countries to strengthen their scientific  and technological capacity.

l  Have global per capita food waste by 2030

l  Develop and implement  tools to monitor sustainable development impacts for sustainable tourism.

l  Responsible management of chemicals and wastes

l  Promote universal understanding of sustainable lifestyle

l  Promote public procurement practices that are sustainable, in accordance with national policies and priorities.

 HOW FAR PAKISTAN FOLLOWING SDG DOAL 12:

 Sustainable consumption and production has been on the global agenda since the World Summit on Sustainable Development, Johannesburg in 2002, and now is one of the seventeen Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). SDG 12 is on ensuring Sustainable Consumption and Production (SCP), and encourages reduction of wasteful consumption and efficiency in production.

Pakistan has prioritized SDG 12 and emphasized sustainable use and production

in other SDGs. The National Action Plan on Sustainable Consumption and Production (NAP-SCP) aims accelerate the transition to SCP in all sectors. SCP is identified in the “green” development framework which will reduce economic growth and social development in ecosystems, thus to strengthen the resilience and resilience of the community. Approved in 2017, one of the highlights included in the NAP-SCP is in monitoring and evaluation.

The NAP-SCP states that “monitoring and evaluation

is essential for continuous validation of the application”. Pakistan has launched its first National Voluntary National Update (VNR) to the 2019 High Level Political Development Forum (HLPF) Political Forum. However, the country has decided not to include SDG 12 information in VNR due to weak data reporting and monitoring system. Proper reporting is important to follow strong obligations and policies that contribute to it SCP and promoting co-operation in the SCP and highlighting the progress achieved to accelerate implementation; sharing with others the challenges and lessons you have learned; and gain worldwide recognition.

Following are the measures for Pakistan National Action Plan (NAP) on SDG 12 Sustainable Consumption and Production (SCP).

 

NUML’S APPROACH TOWARDS SDG GOAL 12:

 NUML has been the one considering SDGs into account with more focus. Students of NUML have been very active in this regard. Previously two of the projects were held successfully related to SDG Goal 12

1.        NUML Electric Vehicles Club

2.        Clean Away  (Sustainable waste management)

 Also, recently one more project is done on SDG Goal 12. It was all about the measures to be taken for responsible consumption. When there would be the concept of responsible consumption, production chances will be enhanced. Similarly, by recycling the products we can maximize the production with limited resources.

 RESPONSIBLE CONSUMPTION AND PRODUCTION:

 The project was done by Laiba Khan and Asma Zahid, students of BS-4 (MOR) Governance And Public Policy.

 The main objectives of the projects were:

l  To aware more people about SDG Goal 12.

l  To create a sense of responsible consumption among people.

l  To encourage people towards 3Rs concept.

ACTIVITES

 AWARENESS WALK AND INTERVIEWS WITH THE STUDENTS IN NUML PREMISES

 A brochure was designed by the team to show up and let the people know about SDG GOAL 12:

Here is the brochure:

 

INTERVIEWS:

 A total of 25 interviews were conducted, 5 from each department. The FAQs were about whether they know about SDG 12. If yes, then how much they see it is important. The results were remarkable. We got a total of 80% people knowing about SDGs and the people even not having knowledge about SDGs were sensible enough about responsible consumption and production.

 

 

WEBINAR:

A webinar was arranged by the team in which a total of 55 members at different intervals participated from different universities including Fouji Foundation University, NUML RWP Campus, Fatima Jinnah University, Comsats University and Bahria university. A comprehensive presentation was given on GOAL 12 and questions were practiced from the participants.

GOOGLE FORMS:

 Google form was also generated by the team. 34 responses were collected. 18 from NUML and 16 out of the university.

CONCLUSION:

As we all know we are not very far from the time when we will run out of resources at facing severe shortage of needed stuffs. So, as a responsible citizen one must know the techniques and tools at individual level that how far can we take measures on our own. As if it can’t be diminished, repaired, reconstructed, renovated, resurfaced, exchanged, reused, or treated the soil, at that point, it ought be limited, u;dated, or expelled from creation.

Contribution of NUML's Social Action Projects towards Sustainable Development Goals (SDG'S)

Contribution of NUML's Social Action Projects towards Sustainable Development Goals:

SDG#6: Clean Water and Sanitation for all

By: Hunain Mahmood and Wareesha Shakeel

BS-4 Governance & Public Policy (Morning)

SUMMARY OF THE SENIOR’S PROJECT:

There are basically two projects done by the seniors of our department of Governance and Public Policy regarding water and sanitation issues in our country, details of which are given below:

1. STRENGTHENING SANITATION SAVIOURS:

The core intention to execute this project was to provide respect and solidity to the sanitation workers of our country and to aware them of their legitimate, moral and ethical rights.

The main objectives of their project are given below:

• Preserve the rights of sanitation workers.

• To understand the challenges faced by sanitation workers.

• Put an end to the stigma of ‘dirty’ associated with them with no discrimination of caste and status.

• To aware people about the rights of sanitation workers and the respect they deserve.

• To raise the issue of poor policies at an institutional level.

• Provide them with Personal Protective Equipment through fundraising which is essential for them during their work services.

• To end the created institutional gap.

• To end poverty.

• To clear the difference and racism for minority communities.

Furthermore, the team of strengthening sanitation saviours executed this project mainly at the locations; sectors G-6, G-6/2 and I-2 on the premises of ICT. For this purpose, they have collaborated with different institutions, professionals and organizations including:

• CDA

• Ministry of Human Rights, Islamabad.

• Al-Khidmat Foundation

• Pakistan Red Crescent Society

• N-Viro Pak

• DG Central Development Authority

• Sweeper Heroes (LHR based organization)

• Assistant Commissioner, ICT (Aneel Saeed)

• DG-Human Rights, Ministry of Human Rights.

For their social services for a greater cause, they also received official letters of appreciation from the above institutions.

Moreover, to launch this campaign project with its true essence the strengthening sanitation saviours' team also conducted different activities to enhance their work and to bring a major social change in society. Brief details of their methodology are given below:

• They have arranged a workshop for the sanitation workers named Turning Trash into Treasure by which they can find respectful ways of earning as their incomes are very low (a/c to the official data their average income is Rs. 17000 per month) by working continuously 8 hrs a day.

• Team sanitation saviours also conducted a webinar which was about Wiping Away the Stigma Associated with Sanitation Workers. The webinar further included the topics; Discrimination by General Public, Government and other Institutions.

• They also celebrated Labour Day on 1st May 2021.

Group Members:

1. Abdul Moeed Awan

2. Rimsha Hina Faryal

3. Umar Khayyam

4. Malaika Ali

5. Asfand Abbasi

6. Ahmad Faraz

7. Muhammad Hassan

2. WATER-WISE:

The main aim of this project was to conserve water resources which says

Respect Water. Respect Life.

Their objectives were:

• Sustainable management of water resources and ecosystems.

• To aware people of water scarcity and its negative impacts.

• Emphasize the issue at a government level.

• To aware people of polluted water and water-borne diseases caused by them.

• To stop water pollution and wastage of water resources in our daily life.

Important activities done by the team Water Wise are given below:

• An eco-brick contest was conducted by the team in order to use them for community projects and to save water from getting polluted.

• Two important meetings were held with the Deputy Director of Administration and Vice Chairman of WASA (Water and Sanitation Agency).

• They also visited the Rawal Lake Filtration plant and meet the Assistant Director of the filtration plant.

• One of the great initiatives of the team water-wise was that they have created a water conservation policy preliminary draft for the National University of Modern Languages.

• They also visited Pakistan Council of Research for Water Resources and Ministry of Water Resources to raise the issue at the institutional level and met with the officials there to involve their services for the betterment of the country.

Their main slogan was:

Conserve Water and Conserve the Environment!

Group members:

1. Umair Khalid

2. Aliya Tabbasum

3. Kamran Javaid

4. Saimoon Anila

NUML's Social Action Projects & Sustainable Development Goals:

By:    Abdul Muizz & Talha Munir Khan

           (BS-4 PA&G, Morning) 

 

 

Recently a Social Action Project was done by our seniors with the name of “LIGHT OF HOPE”. This project is basically related to SDG-07 and SDG-11.

This project focuses on electricity and what energy resources are used by Pakistan to provide cheap and accessible energy. Their targets were to provide sufficient energy to different areas. They targeted the slums settlements of Islamabad and Rawalpindi (mainly of Sectors G-7, I-10 and IJP) who are in dire need of electricity.

 

Vision of this Project:

“An initiative by the students of NUML, to provide the slums of Pakistan with Sustainable Energy”

 

Main Idea / Theme: 

"To provide sustainable energy to the needy people of the slums"

 

Objectives of this Project:

The objectives of this project were as follows;

• To present a descriptive and comparative analysis focusing on 
• To provide sufficient energy to different areas
• To provide the people of slums with "Light of Hope"
  
• To take a step towards the betterment of this underprivileged part of the society and increase equality
• To raise awareness about the difficult life conditions of the people of the slums
• To show a path to government and different organization to work for the betterment of this segment of society

 

Methodology:

Interviews:

For carrying out their project, they interviewed different governmental and private organizations. the organizations include:

1.  Ministry of Science & technology
2. Pakistan Council of Renewable Energy Technologies (PCRET)
3. Alternative Energy Development Board (AEDB)
4. Ministry of Water & Power
5. Ace Foundation
6. EBR Energy
7. Renewable & Alternative Energy ASsociation of Pakistan (REAP)
   

Webinars & Awarness Campaigns: 

• They conducted webinars and seminars to reach maximum people in order to spread awarness regarding their project and its importance. 
• They also coordinate with the above-mentioned organizations to spread awareness about their project. 
• They did physical awarness campaigns in multiple universities including NUML and also through social media
• They distributed pamphlets, display posters and advertised through digital media
• They also established a society in NUML by the name of NUML Renewable Energy Society (NRES)
•  They also organized fundraiser event with multiple government and private organizations and universities. 

 

Conclusion:

This project highlights the major issues for the power crises of Pakistan. It is the need of the hour that coherent and foresighted national level policies are formulated that have national consent to set up future power generating plants by employing local renewable energy resources, such as solar, water, coal, nuclear etc., to solve the present energy crises of Pakistan. Additionally, by improving the infrastructure and improving the managerial issues of the power distribution hierarchy, the power crises of Pakistan can be reduced by a significant amount

 

 

 

NUML SDGs Marathon ( SDG 14; Life below Water)

NUML SDG’S MARATHON: SDG 14 (LIFE BELOW WATER)

BLOG BY

EISHA JAWAD

RUQAYYA TUL UROOJ

Supervised by: Dr. Athar Rashid 

BS-4 GPP

(Public Administration and Governance)

Introduction:

Sustainable Development Goal 14 is about "Life below water" and is one of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals established by the United Nations in 2015. SDG 14 targets seek to prevent and reduce marine pollution; further the sustainable management and protection of marine and coastal ecosystems; address the impacts of ocean acidification; regulate harvesting and end overfishing, illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing, and destructive fishing practicing, conserve coastal and marine areas; increase the economic benefits to small developing States and least developed countries from the sustainable use of marine resources; and strengthen the means of implementation, including increasing scientific knowledge, the transfer of marine technology and implementation of international law as reflected in the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).

 PROGRESS MADE BY PAKISTAN

Pakistan affirmed its commitment to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development by adopting the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as its own national development agenda through a unanimous National Assembly Resolution in 2016. Since then, the country has made considerable progress by mainstreaming these goals in national policies and strategies, including the Five-Year Plan, provincial growth strategies, and Pakistan’s long-term development perspective. In 2018, the newly elected Government designed and approved a National SDGs Framework that envisages a national vision to prioritize and localize SDGs.

The country is making all possible efforts to establish institutional mechanisms in line with the 2030 Agenda. The newly elected government has a firm stance on strengthening institutions, ensuring meritocracy, and introducing transparency at all levels. This is considered essential for translating our political vision into reality through efficient and effective management of available resources and improving the quality of service delivery. With the establishment of federal and provincial SDG units, Pakistan has instituted monitoring and evaluation processes that are critical for supporting the SDGs’ implementation, horizontal and vertical coordination, and strengthened collaborations with development partners, civil society organizations, think tanks, and academia, and the private sector. To ensure an enabling institutional environment, Parliamentary Taskforces are operating in national and provincial assemblies, closely overseeing progress on the SDGs. All such efforts are expected to accelerate the pace of Pakistan’s progress on the SDGs.

 CAMPUS DRIVE:

 In order to raise awareness, we interacted with students of various departments. We asked them about their knowledge of marine pollution and ways to prevent it. Most of the students know about the SDGs but don’t have much knowledge, particularly about SDG 14. We enlightened them about the topic and asked them to play a positive role in this important issue. We visited 6 departments in total and approached 35 to 40 students.

• Ø  Department of Mathematics
• Ø  Department of English
• Ø  Department of Management Sciences
• Ø  Department of Psychology
• Ø  Department of Mass communication
• Ø  Department of International Relations

CONDUCTED A WEBINAR:

On 24/2/22 we conducted a webinar on conservation and sustainable use of oceans/marine resources, where students of all fields joined in. We discussed various topics including excessive fishing and its harmful effects, ghost gears and nets destroying marine habitats, industrial waste and its drastic effects on marine life, and our role in the prevention, conservation, and restoration of marine life. It was a great learning experience for everyone.

RESULTS:

Most of the students were unaware of the particular SDGS our campus drive and the webinar gave them insight and the severity of the issue. The very main and common misconception that most the people have is that just because they don’t live near a water body, and don’t go fishing they have no active role in negatively affecting marine life, but the ground reality is that every single individual one way or another affects the marine life, be it through the waste we produce, our ways of its disposal and our excessive usage of plastic and excessive consumption of seafood.

 

Most of them appreciated the effort and acknowledged our steps towards the betterment ad implementation of SDGs in Pakistan. They also showed hope to play their positive individual role toward the solutions.

Awareness:

About our assigned goal i.e., Life Below Water, we tried to explain to them the effect human life has on marine life and how it suffers due to our actions. We tried to promote some solutions that are applicable on an individual level.

Most of the marine pollution is the result of excessive plastic usage and garbage dumping in the ocean. Most of the garbage that washes up on the coasts contains plastic bottles, disposable utensils, and garbage bags. This kind of garbage not only increases the ocean toxicity, but also affects the productivity and biodiversity of the marine life and claims the life of many species in the ocean because most of the ocean species mistake the plastic garbage for their food, they either eat it or get entangled in it, and in both cases, it costs them their lives

There isn’t much a person can do when it comes to formulating policies and implementing laws to conserve marine resources but what we can do and that we as a team have always promoted is an individual effort and individual change and keeping that approach in mind, we promoted the following minimal yet very effective ways to reduce the marine pollution in both our campus drive and in our webinar.

Reduce the excessive usage of plastic

              i.            Instead of buying a plastic water bottle every time you go out of the house, try and buy a reusable bottle, for instance, a glass bottle, that you fill and carry around with you.

            ii.            While going to shopping malls and shops bring your own fabric bag so you don’t have to take a plastic bag from the said shop.

          iii.            While doing grocery or vegetable shopping, bring your own bag or basket and avoid taking the plastic bag from the shop

          iv.            Avoid purchasing materials and items that have unnecessary plastic wrapping around them.

            v.            Use glass or other containers in your houses for storage instead of plastic ones.

          vi.            If you have bought any plastic container or item, instead of throwing it away after it has served its purpose try to recycle it for some other thing, for instance, arts and crafts, plantation, etc.

Skills we learned

1.      First and foremost, we learned how to design posters for webinars, we never really had any previous experience with such activity.

2.      We learned to arrange, host a webinar, and deal with any queries on our own for the very first time.

3.      We built enough confidence to walk up to people and initiate conversations and create awareness.

4.      As we promoted sustainability and how important it is to make such eco-friendly choices, it has in a very positive way affected our perspective on what changes we can bring within ourselves to make more sustainable choices in life no matter how minor they are.