Punjab Governor Sarwar said on Thursday that University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences (UVAS) is not only producing competent manpower and promoting veterinary science but also contributing to development of livestock, poultry, dairy and other allied sectors.
He stated this while addressing the 6th convocation of the University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences Lahore. Chancellor and Governor Punjab Muhammad Sarwar presided over the convocation in which around 826 graduates, 197 of them DVMs, 180 BS (Hons), 70 Pharm-D, 25 MBA, 22 MBF, one MSc Wetland, 305 MPhil and 26 PhDs were conferred degrees. Also, 39 graduates were awarded medals.
Sarwar said that livestock holds immense importance in Pakistan as it contributes substantially to national GDP and economic development. He also said enhanced livestock growth and productivity are essential to meet the challenging food demand for our increasing population and to alleviate poverty. Addressing the convocation, the Governor congratulated the graduating students and said that it is now their responsibility to contribute to the nation building development.
Presenting the welcome address, Vice Chancellor Professor Dr Talat Naseer Pasha highlighted the academic, research, extension, training programmes and achievements of the university. He said that the UVAS has developed state-of-the-art-clinics, teaching, training, research and diagnostic facilities. He said that the UVAS has enrolled over 4,900 students from all over the Pakistan, with reserved seats for Fata, Balochistan, Afghanistan, occupied Kashmir and AJK. So far, 120 students have qualified PhD degrees, 1,485 MPhil and Masters degrees and 4,122 students undergraduate degrees from the university, he added.
The VC further said that as per the latest assessment of Higher Education Commission, the UVAS got 93.3 percent score and achieved highest 'W' category in quality education and secured third position in HEC ranking of agricultural/veterinary universities of Pakistan.
Currently 57 competitive research projects worth Rs 664.725 million won by faculty members are under way in the university, he added. He said this year there is 146 percent increase in securing research grants as compared with 2013 in which 82 more research projects submitted by faculty to different national and international funding agencies are under review.
The UVAS is working closely with Livestock and Dairy Development Department Punjab for serving the farming and business communities for provision of healthy food of high biological value from livestock and poultry to our nation and develop policies that will foster a sustainable and prosperous farmer economy.
Under the direction of Chief Minister Punjab and the Livestock and Dairy Development Department Punjab, the UVAS has taken initiative for progressive control of foot and mouth disease. The VC said that the Chief Minister Punjab has assigned the UVAS to establish an institution at Bahawalpur catering with the needs of South Punjab for education, research, disease diagnostics, training and keeping pace with innovations in the livestock, poultry, wildlife and allied sectors and needs of industry and trade. "Therefore a project for Cholistan University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences at Bahawlpur has been approved by the Punjab government. The work on this project is going on at full pace with the collaboration of Ankara University and Selcuk University, Turkey. This will be a two-year project and we envisage completing this by June 2016," he mentioned. The VC also congratulated the graduates on getting degrees and medals. At the end, the UVAS also signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Pakistan Tanners Association.
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