Over 1,300 PU students awarded degrees

VC while speaking at convocation says incentives are being given to teachers and students to promote research

LAHORE: A total of 1,314 students were awarded degrees at the 12th convocation of the Punjab University organised at Faisal Auditorium on Saturday.

At least 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 MPhil/MS students.

Speaking on the occasion, Punjab University Vice Chancellor Dr Niaz Ahmad has vowed to bring Punjab University among top 400 universities of the world. He shared that the Punjab University's ranking will be heard in the new QS ranking of the world universities, which is scheduled to be announced on February 27.

Dr 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 organised for appropriate functioning of the university. The vice chancellor said that incentives were being given to the teachers and students for the first time to promote research.

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 the university's faculty members.

Dr Akhtar said that the teachers who would get admission in the 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 two impact factor research papers will be given admission in MS and PhD programmes without any fee. He said that scholarships would also be given to the students with impact factor research while a cash prize would be awarded to the student having the highest impact factor research.

The university has set up Cancer Research Group and Baba Guru Nanak Research Chair which had attracted positive response worldwide said Dr Akhtar. He added that the Software Technology Park and Stem Cell lab have also been launched. The university administration would launch medical school and hospital on 250 acres of land next month, he said.