Punjab University to be brought among top 400 universities : VC Prof Niaz Ahmad

Lahore : Punjab University Vice Chancellor Prof Niaz Ahmad has vowed to bring Punjab University among top 400 universities of the world and announced the good news regarding PU ranking will be heard in the new QS ranking of the world universities, which is scheduled to be announced on February 27.

He was addressing the 128^th Convocation of Punjab University at Faisal Auditorium here on Saturday. Registrar Dr Muhammad Khalid Khan, Acting Controller of Examinations Muhammad Rauf Nawaz, Additional Controller of Examinations Raja Shahid Javed, deans of various faculties, members of Syndicate & Senate, heads of institutions, faculty members, people from various walks of life and a large number of degree, medal holders and their parents were present on the occasion.

In Punjab University’s 128^th Convocation, 38 PhD, 373 MS/MPhil, 393 Master’s, 267 undergraduate degrees and 299 medals were distributed among students. As many as 75 medals were distributed among undergraduate students, 68 medals among Master’s students and 100 medals were distributed among M Phil/MS students. A total of 1314 degrees and medals were distributed in the convocation.

PU VC Prof Niaz Ahmad Akhtar said that the administration was implementing its vision and merit, transparency and good governance have been ensured. He said that the meetings of all statutory bodies were being organized for appropriate functioning of the university. He said that incentives were being given to the teachers and students for the first time to encourage research productivity of the university. He said that the students of PhD, MPhil/MS, Master’s and BS who had produced maximum research papers in 2018 would be given best researcher award while 20 awards would also be given to PU faculty members.

He said that the teachers who would get admission in top 50 universities of the world would be provided with the scholarship. He said that the administration has announced that the bachelor-level students who will publish one research paper in impact factor journal will be given waiver in tuition fee while the students having 2 impact factor research papers will be given admission in MS and PhD programs without any fee. He said that scholarships would also be provided to the students with impact factor research while a cash prize would be awarded to the student having highest impact factor research.

He said that PU had set up Cancer Research Group and Baba Guru Nanak Research Chair which had attracted positive response worldwide. He said that Software Technology Park and Stem Cell lab had been launched. He said that in the next month, PU administration would launch medical school and hospital on 250 acres of land very soon. He said that for the first time in the history of Punjab University, a central meeting of PU alumni was organized at Faisal Auditorium.

He said that PU administration also launched online admission system for the first team and received 150,000 applications out of which 10,000 students were admitted. He said that 36 meetings of Selection Board had been held in which 144 appointments of teachers and officers had been made purely on merit. He said that 2 meetings of Senate, 4 meetings of Syndicate and 9 meetings of Advanced Studies and Research Board had also been organized. 

He said that PU had signed 16 MoUs with international and national organizations and many international and national conferences, workshops, symposiums had been organized. He said that for internationalization of the university, foreign faculty member from USA, UK, Sweden, Denmark, Italy and other countries were teaching in various departments of the university. He said that the curriculum of all the departments had been revised as per modern requirements of the industry in 2018.

He said that the university had also prepared economic, trade and education policy of the country which would be presented to the government. He said that scholarships worth 242 million rupees were also being awarded to disabled students.

Congratulating outshining students and their parents, the VC advised them to create high moral and professional values  among themselves and keep themselves updated with knowledge of their relevant fields.