KARACHI: The vice chancellor of the Sindh Madressatul Islam University (SMIU) on Friday said two new campuses in Malir and Hawkesbay would be functional in next three years in addition to the existing campus of the university.

Besides, Dr Muhammad Ali Shaikh added, two academic blocks would also be constructed on the city campus and a new modern building of the SMIU Model School was also in the pipeline.

While briefing the media on the development plans of the university for next decade and its admissions policy at an Iftar gathering he hosted for the media at a hotel, Dr Shaikh said the architectural structure of all buildings of news campuses and the SMIU Model School would resemble to the beautiful structure of the historical building, which had been housing the alma mater of the Quaid-i-Azam for more than a century.

About the Malir campus located in the Education City, he said it was a nine-year project that would be completed in three phases.

In that campus, about 25,000 students would be enrolled. There would be hostels for male and female students, residences for faculty and staff members and a sports complex.

“In the next three years, two blocks of Malir Campus would be constructed for which the federal government has given Rs1.57 billion,” he said, adding, its 100-acre plot was given by the Sindh government for free. He said that a building of school and vocational centre had already been completed.

Dr Shaikh said in the Hawksebay Campus, an institute of information technology and communication would be set up, where about 5,000 students would be enrolled.

“This 10-acre plot is also gifted by the government of Sindh. This institute will serve as a silicon valley of Pakistan.”

The SMIU VC said construction work of two new academic blocks on the city campus would begin in a month on a plot, which had recently been vacated from the land mafia.

He said at present more than 2,526 students were studying at the SMIU. After construction of those blocks the total strength of students in the city campus would be 5,000 as each block would accommodate about 1,500 students.

Dr Shaikh said after completion of those three projects total number of SMIU students would be 35,000.

He said the SMIU Model School would be upgraded to the level of higher secondary school this year, where admissions in first year would be offered.

Dr Muhammad Ali Shaikh said being an alma mater of the father of the nation the SMIU firmly believed it would generate good results for betterment of the country and its people by playing a focused role. He said in the next 10 years, SMIU would focus on research and quality education in the areas of energy, environment, water, poverty alleviation, women empowerment, science and technology, quality education and establishment of Sindh Studies Centre.

Earlier, Furqan Iftikhar, director admissions and controller of examination, informed reporters that the SMIU offered merit-based admissions to students in undergraduate, graduate and postgraduate programmes in business administration, computer science, media and communication studies, education and environmental science.

He said admissions for fall 2018 were open since May 13 and would continue till July17.

Published in Dawn, June 9th, 2018