Kafait still cherishes NMBU’s blend of community, diversity, and nature, a place that made learning feel both inspiring and alive.
Name: Kafait Ullah
Job: Professor and Dean at the Faculty of Management and Administrative Sciences, University of Sialkot, Sialkot, Pakistan
Study Programme: Global Development Studies
Completed studies at NMBU: 2009
Can you tell us a little about yourself?
After completing my master's in Global Development Studies from Noragric, NMBU (then UMB), I completed my PhD in 2015, in Energy Governance and Innovations from the University of Twente, the Netherlands. After my PhD, I worked as an Assistant Professor earlier and then as an Associate Professor at US-Pakistan Center for Advanced Studies in Energy (USPCAS-E), National University of Sciences and Technology (NUST), Islamabad, Pakistan, for 8 years. I joined the University of Sialkot in January 2024 as a professor and Dean of the faculty.
What attracted you to your programme at NMBU?
NMBU has been a beautiful place for the students. It is a welcoming, healthy and natural setting for conducting research on life, environmental and development studies.
What was the most memorable part of your studies?
The most memorable part was living in Pentagon with people from diverse nationalities and cultures. Sharing ideas and food in wonderful get-togethers from different parts of the world is something that still makes me happy occasionally.
How was the academic and social environment at NMBU?
The academic and social environment at NMBU was the most satisfying part of my stay at NMBU. Cultural diversity in the midst of natural beauty is something that I still miss the most. It was so attractive to me that I have aspired to be part of that community once more in life but I think time has moved ahead.
How do you use what you learned at NMBU in your current job?
Although I did not take any course to learn Norwegian, but from interactions with Norwegian fellows, I learnt basic conversations. Now, sometimes my kids ask about different words, which really remind me of missing the opportunity to learn Norwegian more seriously.
What are your next career plans?
I plan to excel more in my research and academic endeavours and work for the extension of my research area to new dimensions.
Any advice for future students?
I will advise the current and prospective students to spend their maximum time to do best in their studies, make new friends at a place of global diversity such as NMBU and also learn about the Norwegian culture and language, which will really benefit them in their life ahead.