December 04, 2008	Thursday	Zilhaj 5, 1429

PESHAWAR, Dec 3: The newly-established Islamia College University (ICU) would set up a campus in Mirali area of North Waziristan and another in Bajaur tribal region besides establishing one campus each in Swabi and Charsadda districts, said Vice-chancellor Ajmal Khan while talking to journalists at a luncheon here on Wednesday.

“The two words ‘college’ and ‘university’ in the name of Islamia College University don’t synchronise so why not let the name be the same and the status be upgraded,” Mr Khan suggested.

He said that the case of ICU was lying with the select committee of the provincial assembly but soon the issue would be resolved. “Personally I would like to call it Islamia College. We want the status of the college to be upgraded into a university. Why attach such a well-reputed college to a new university,” said the vice-chancellor during his first formal interaction with the media.

Mr Khan said that upgradation of the college into a university was long awaited as it had started Master programme in three disciplines which were later shifted to University of Peshawar.

Initially the Higher Education Commission (HEC) approved upgradation of Islamia College into a university and offered to provide teachers under the Tenure Track System (TTS). The institution would hire at least three qualified teachers in every department and ratio of teacher student per class would be kept 1-16.

Islamia College University, which was set up in March this year under an ordinance issued by the NWFP governor, is spread over 300 kanals and construction would be soon started to accommodate the newly admitted students.

The institution received over 5,000 applications when it began admissions in various disciplines. The vice-chancellor said that 700 students, who got admission in 15 selective disciplines of BS (Hon) 4-year Academic Programme, were mostly holding first division.

About 400 students were admitted to Master Academic Programme in seven disciplines. About 30 per cent of the students admitted to various departments are hailing from conflict-hit areas. The institution has also reserved two seats per tribal agency in each department and one seat for the student hailing from Frontier Regions in every department.

While the name of Islamia College University is yet to be decided by a committee of the NWFP Assembly, its vice-chancellor Ajmal Khan is in favour of upgrading Islamia College into a university.

Mr Khan, sharing his plans for the institution with media, said that a campus would be opened in Mirali area of North Waziristan and another in Bajaur tribal region. He said that very soon one campus each would be set up in Swabi and Charsadda districts as Swabi deserved it because of the founder of college and people of Charsadda dsereved it because they had donated large pieces of land to the college.