Academic excellence: New GCUF campus to be built in three phases

VC says GCUF taking steps to provide appropriate teaching facilities.

FAISALABAD:

The Rs10 billion project to build a new campus for Government College University, Faisalabad, is well underway, said Prof Zakir Hussain, the GCUF Vice Chancellor, here on Thursday.

Speaking at the foundation stone laying ceremony of two academic blocks and a girls’ hostel at the campus, Hussain said the project was expected to be completed in three phases.

He said the master plan for the project had been approved and the construction work had started.

“In view of the increasing enrollment it is necessary to improve the university’s infrastructure,” he said.

Hussain said the university was first of its kind in the division and thus attracted scores of students.

“Every possible step is being taken to improve the quality of education here,” he said.

“Tenders have been issued for an administrative block, a main gate and an auditorium,” he added.

‘Educated youth guarantors of bright future’

Youth comprise half of Pakistan’s population and can take the country forward by gaining modern knowledge and making use of it, said Prof Zakir Hussain, the Government College University, Faisalabad, vice chancellor, on Wednesday.

Speaking to students and teaching staff during a visit to several university departments, Hussain said, “The country has a bright future…the 90 million youths are a national asset.”

He said education was the only way forward and urged the students to put in all their efforts in classrooms so that they could become leaders in their chosen fields. Hussain also asked the students to read more books so as to keep themselves updated and be able to compete with international students.

Talking about academic scholarships, he advised the students to work hard and do well in standardised tests such as GRE, TOEFL and IELTS which are required for admissions in universities abroad.

Hussain said the university was taking all possible steps to provide appropriate infrastructure and teaching facilities at the campus.

He said the university had been rated the sixth best university in the country by the Higher Education Commission. Hussain vowed to take more steps to further improve the quality of education.

Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences Dean Prof Dr Pervez Azeem, Students Affairs Director Dr Nadeem Sohail, Advanced Studies director Dr Hazoor Muhammad Sabir, and other university department heads were also present on the occasion. 

Published in The Express Tribune, May 17^th, 2013.