LAHORE: The Information Technology University (ITU) Syndicate on Saturday approved establishment of two sub-campuses in Rawalpindi and Dera Ghazi Khan.

The meeting also approved to launch Computer Engineering (CE) Department after getting permission from Engineering Council of Pakistan to cater to the needs of the industry and the academia.

The ninth meeting of the ITU Syndicate was held under the chairmanship of acting vice chancellor Prof Niaz Ahmad. The ITU is running 11 degree programmes.

There were several agenda items of the syndicate including establishing two ITU sub-campuses in Dera Ghazi Khan and Rawalpindi, launching Computer Engineering (CE) Department at main campus, approval of the revised budget estimates for 2018-19, hiring new faculty and scholarships for students.

The meeting also approved Rs1,000 million (Rs1 billion) budget 2018-19 of the university and also endorsed the appointment of around 10 faculty members made during the tenure of previous vice chancellor Dr Umar Saif.

Prof Ahmad said the university aimed at educating the next generation of innovators, engineers and scientists to develop technologies to drive the country’s economic growth and to focus on resolving local problems with an emphasis on research and entrepreneurship for socioeconomic development.

He said the university had plan to establish two new campuses [on the direction of Chief minister Usman Buzdar] and it also constituted a committee to request the government to provide necessary equipment and funds.

The meeting lauded all the measures taken by the ITU administration to promote skilled education in the field of computer science and engineering. Industrial and academic needs of the skill-based education and its role for economic stability and development were also reiterated.

Syndicate members MPAs Khadija Umer and Muhammad Kashif, representative of Higher Education Commission Dr. Naveed Malik, Punjab Higher Education Commission Nasrullah Virk, Karachi School of Business and Leadership Prof. Dr. Jawaid A. Ghani, Human Rights Commission of Pakistan Vice Chairperson Salima Hashmi, representatives of Higher Education and Finance Departments, ITU Dean Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences Dr. Akmal Hussain, ITU Dean Faculty of Business and Management Sciences Dr. Bashir A. Khan, ITU Dean Faculty of Science Dr. Faisal Kamiran, ITU Dean Faculty of Engineering Dr. Tauseef Tauqir and ITU Registrar Zaheer Sarwar attended the meeting.

The meeting also reviewed arrangements for the second convocation being held on Wednesday (March 6) at Aiwan-i-Iqbal to confer degrees of computer science, electrical engineering and executive master in business, innovation, technology and entrepreneurship.

Punjab Governor and ITU Chancellor Chaudhry Mohammad Sarwar will preside over the ceremony and confer degrees on graduating students and award medals to high achievers.

Published in Dawn, March 3rd, 2019