KARACHI: KU suspends classes, exams for centre’s opening
By Our Staff Reporter
KARACHI, Nov 25: The University of Karachi has decided to suspend academic activities on the campus on November 27 (Monday) in the afternoon in view of the inauguration of a world-class science information centre at the HEJ Research Institute of Chemistry.
President Musharraf is expected to perform the inauguration of the centre, named after philanthropist Latif Ibrahim Jamal. The centre was recently made functional as part of the International Centre for Chemical and Biochemical Sciences (ICCBS).
Although the University of Karachi did not cite any reason for the suspension of academic activities, a Press release issued by the ICCBS said a science information centre will be inaugurated on Monday at the HEJ Research Institute.
The decision on suspension of academic activities was taken at a meeting of the deans of various faculties, and advisers to the vice-chancellor on students and security affairs, with vice-chancellor Dr Pirzada Qasim in the chair.
A senior officer said semester examinations of students of the morning shift, if any, will be conducted as usual on Monday, but there would be no examination in the afternoon.
A KU press release said that the registrar had announced that there would be no classes in the evening shift on Monday. Besides, evening semester examinations, to be held at 2pm the same day, have been suspended and new dates would be announced later, added the press release, saying morning shift examinations would be held as per schedule on Monday.
The inaugural ceremony is expected to be attended by Chairman HEC Prof Dr Atta-ur-Rahman, KU VC Prof Dr Pirzada Qasim, Director (Acting) of ICCBS Prof Dr M Iqbal Choudhary and Chairman Hussain Ebrahim Jamal Foundation Aziz Jamal.
Besides facilities for video conferencing, meetings, laboratory works, software library, laser and line printing, high resolution scanning, the centre will offer 100 terminals for online simultaneous access to over 11,500 scientific journals, added the ICCBS press release.
The centre is a vital and unique source to access unlimited and valuable international science databases and full-text science journals with high-speed Internet connectivity and a place for visiting digitalized scientific books and literature.
