LAHORE, Jan 13: A meeting of the project directors of all public sector universities on Saturday decided to introduce 50 new disciplines in different varsities in the province. The meeting presided over by Governor Khalid Maqbool decided to introduce fuel engineering and energy technology, software engineering degree courses, criminology and security studies, development studies and performing arts MA classes in the Punjab University. The Government College University will run financial, economics and management post-graduate degree courses.

The University of Education will introduce policy development and education leadership, usage of puppets in teaching and special education degree courses. It will also introduce diploma in Chinese language.

Similarly, the University of Health Sciences will introduce new departments of medical education, microbiology and bio-medical engineering whereas the King Edward Medical University will run BSc Nursing programme.

The Islamia University, Bahawalpur, will introduce medical physics discipline with the cooperation of Quaid-i-Azam Medical College. Similarly, the Faisalabad Agriculture University will run MSc Agriculture Journalism course with the assistance of the Punjab University. The agriculture university will also introduce MSc (honours) in water resources engineering, avian health, veterinary bio-technology, post-harvest science and technology and allelopathy.

The Bahauddin Zakariya University, Multan, will establish new departments of food technology and bio-technology.

The University of Engineering and Technology, Lahore, will establish new departments of product and industrial designs and energy and power engineering, and the University of Sargodha will initiate courses in biological science, food science and technology and fine arts.

The Fatima Jinnah University, Rawalpindi, will introduce MSc in game design and interior design and the University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Lahore, will conduct BSc honours in dairy technology and fisheries and aquaculture.

Speaking on the occasion, the governor said the higher education commission would provide all resources for research in the new subjects designed to meet the country’s industrial and social needs, and for faculty development.

The present government considered higher education the biggest source of bringing about prosperity in the society and eliminating poverty, he added.