ISLAMABAD, March 30: The Higher Education Commission (HEC) has approved a Rs30 million project for expansion of existing information technology infrastructure at Bahauddin Zakariya University, Multan, says an official statement.

The project was approved at a meeting of the Departmental Development Working Party (DDWP) held recently at the HEC head office in Islamabad.

According to the statement, the project will be completed in two years. The main objective of the project is to upgrade the existing Local Area Network (LAN) and to support its extension to three newly constructed hostels, the auditorium and the Saraiki Research Centre.

The university’s LAN would also be enhanced to provide a dial-in facility to off-campus users and to protect the network from hackers.

To promote an effective IT infrastructure within the university, the project will support the establishment of small computer cells in various academic buildings.

It will help the university to provide library services, internet services, and access to the digital libraries and the Pakistan University Academic Intranet to the students and staff of the university.

The existing computer cells/laboratories of computer science, engineering, agricultural and management sciences departments will also be upgraded under the project.

It is anticipated that about 1,200 faculty members and 9,000 students would benefit each year from the upgraded educational environment.

A complete website for the university would also be constructed under the project, providing all relevant information for external users.

APP ADDS: The HEC has approved a project for computerization and networking enhancement programme at Islamia University, Bahawalpur, at a cost of Rs30 million.