The U.S. Pakistan Center for Advanced Studies in Water at the University of Utah is excited to be hosting an amazing group of Pakistani exchange students this fall from our partner Mehran University of Engineering and Technology. The students arrived on the evening of September 1^st and were welcomed by USPCAS-W staff. The students will be staying in off-campus apartments with convenient access to the campus, as well as near the train line for easy access to the city at large. The group includes six women and nine men. The students come from the four masters programs at MUET: Integrated Water Resource Management; Hydraulics, Irrigations and Drainage; Environmental Engineering; and Water, Sanitation, & Health Sciences.

A group of graduate students from the U invited the exchange students to a BBQ on the Saturday after their arrival to celebrate Eid al-Azha. Students on both sides appreciated the opportunity to interact and celebrate. The students had the rest of the weekend, including the Labor Day holiday, to get settled in their housing and adjust to the time change. A busy schedule of course work began on Tuesday, including writing classes and practicum, research activities, the Global-Local Water Seminar, professional development, technical courses, and a library tour and orientation to complete the week. Over the second weekend, the group was hosted by the Utah Pakistan Association and representatives from the L.A. Consulate to discuss “Pakistan, a 360 degree view from Pakistan and from Utah.” Over the course of the semester students will continue to participate in these activities, along with cultural and technical field trips, leadership opportunities, and more.