Quality education and tangible researches pertaining to social, scientific, industrial and agricultural issues work as engine for bright future of the country.

Quality education and tangible researches pertaining to social, scientific, industrial and agricultural issues work as engine for bright future of the country.This was stated by University of Agriculture Faisalabad Vice Chancellor Prof Dr Iqrar Ahmad Khan while talking to meeting of assistant professors and lecturers at New Senate Hall. Registrar Muhammad Hussain conducted the proceeding as secretary Academic Council. He said that University was making all-out efforts for addressing the issues of the farming community, stakeholders, civil society and the campus community. He said that the University had introduced 42- demand driven new degree prgrammes keeping in view the need of the modern era. He said that the University current enrolment had touched 19000 which was 16000 last year. The enrolment has increased 50 percent in the last three years. He said as many as 50 percent of the enrolment consist of women and the university was actively working on gender mainstreaming. He said that the university was taking all measures to educate the needy and deserving people. In this regarding the Financial Aid Office is providing scholarship worth Rs 90 million annually. He said that Confucius centre was being set up at the campus with the help of China in which Chinese Cultural and Language Programmes and foreign scholarships will be offered. He said the UAF has also established the Centre for Advanced Studies in Agriculture and Food Security worth 30 million US dollar sponsored by USAID. The centre is focused on climate changes, biotechnology, precision agriculture and policy researches. The USAID will also provide 200 foreign scholarships to UAF. He said that the Punjab Government had approved establishment of Punjab Bio-Energy Institute at the University in order to address energy crisis through alternative source. He also thanked Punjab Government for releasing funds worth Rs 500 million for setting up a state-of-the-art hostel for 1000 students at the University of University Faisalabad. It will be biggest hostel in the country. The Punjab Government has released fund under the directives of Punjab Chief Minister Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif to facilitate the students. The initial work on the project has been kicked off on war-footing. Registrar Muhammad Hussain said that around 400 PhD faculty is working at the UAF. He said that the University has attained the 97th position in the world top universities, according to National Taiwan University Ranking. He said that as many as 220 lecturers are working in the University under which 73 are women. He said that 41 lecturers are perusing their PhDs degrees. He said that special initiatives were being taken to address the issues of the teaching community.