The University of Agriculture Faisalabad has emerged as role model institution owing to healthy reforms in research, teaching and outreach programs during the last one decade, said University of Agriculture Faisalabad Vice Chancellor Prof Dr Iqrar A Khan.
He addressed staff of varsity at Iqbal Auditorium on Friday. The event was arranged by the Department of Public Relations and Publication. He said that it was playing a pivotal role in ensuring food security, and poverty alleviation with the help of quality education, trained manpower, research and outreach program. He said during the last nine years, the University had taken tremendous steps to excel in the different fields. He said it had emerged only institution in the country which is ranked among the top 100 universities in any category. He said nine years there was only 200 PhD faculty and 9000 students which had risen to 450 PhDs and 24000 students. He said in 2008, in the teaching faculty, there had been 40 women which had risen to 150. He said that in 2008, the university budget was Rs 700 million. It has got the budget of 9000 million now where only the financial assistance program of the varsity was having Rs 700 million. He said that the University has changed the mindset of the employees and taking the tangible steps in term of research worth Rs 2.5 billion, community building and knowledge. He said that the University had got found the place where policy makers are seeking policy recommendations from the varsity on the different issues including agriculture, social sectors and foreign policy etc. He said that the during the last nine years, the expansion in term of per square infrastructure is the equal to the total per square infrastructure from 1906-2007. He said that during his tenure, 160 employees had been sent abroad for higher studies where 265 completed the post doctorate from abroad. He said that the University had taken a lead in introducing new courses which are being copied countrywide such as management trainees etc. He said the economy of the country directly or indirectly depends upon agriculture sector for which stepped-up efforts are needed to ensure modern agricultural trends to alleviate the hunger and poverty, He said that as many as 40 percent of the women and children are suffering the malnutrition. The availability of portable water had emerged as a real challenge for the country. Principal Officer Dr Jalal Arif said that the University had made the tremendous development under the dynamic leadership of the Prof Dr Iqrar A Khan which will be written in the golden pages of the history . He said that in his tenure, university had taken the funding of Rs 20 billion which is record in the history. He said that in 2008, there was no sign of ranking of UAF. But now it has emerged in the list of top 100 elite universities of the globe. He said that the Vice chancellor had devoted his life for the welfare of the farming community, society, education and research.