Over 100 faculty members of the Punjab University (PU) are doing PhD in different subjects from top class foreign universities of the world. Vice Chancellor PU Professor Dr Mujahid Kamran in an exclusive interview with APP here on Sunday said under two programmes, the best teachers having excellent academic track record had been sent abroad for higher studies leading to PhD adding to the existing pool of PhDs.
He said on the special directive of Chief Minister Punjab Shahbaz Sharif, special focus has been laid on the promotion of research culture in all teaching departments of the varsity. He said research fund had been increased from Rs 4 million in 2007 to Rs 85 million in 2012-2013. He said that research endowment fund currently at Rs 360 million exists in addition to research funding while funds for faculty development had also been enhanced from Rs 45 million in 2007-2008 to Rs 75 million in 2013-2013 which was in addition to the HEC funds.
About research achievements and publication of books by PU faculty members, Mujahid Kamran said when he took over as VC in January 2008, the number of research publications in journals carrying an impact factor had more than tripled from 162 in 2007 to 546 in 2012. Publications in HEC recognised journals are in addition to these.
He claimed that first time in the history of the PU since its inception in October 12, 1882,the total number of publications in journals and conferences had crossed 1,000 while number of books published by PU faculty members in the period of 2008 to 2012 is 350,an average of about 70 per year, in year 2007,this number stood at only 27 and in 2012,106 books were published.
He said again, first time in PU history, the full time faculty strength crossed the landmark number of 1,000 while PhD to non PhD teachers ratio had also increased by almost 15 percent for regular faculty members since 2008 jumping from 29 percent at the end of 2007 to 43.23 percent in 2012. He said that first time in the history of Pakistan, now a record number of nearly 200 PhD are being produced annually by PU compared to hardly 41 in 2007.
Mujahid Kamran said that percentage of MS/M.Phil and PhD students had also increased from 5.66 percent in 2011 to 7.88 percent in 2012. He said that an amount of Rs 20 million endowment fund for the welfare of the employees has also been created while PU investment has risen from 1.85 million in June 2008 to rupees 4 billion in June 2012. About co-curricular activities, he said that PU students performed exceptionally excellent at home and abroad. He said that more than 40 percent of the full time students are being given scholarships worth over Rs 125 millions annually from its own indigenous resources.
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