KARACHI, June 26: The IT Chair at the NED University of Engineering and Technology is expected to start functioning by September or October this year.

This was stated by the Vice-Chancellor, Engr Abul Kalam, while talking to newsmen on Wednesday.

He said that the process has been initiated at the NED and that his institution had already drafted an advertisement and sent it to the Ministry of Science and Technology, which is expected to place it in newspapers in about two weeks’ time or so.

The Sultan of Oman has extended Rs197 million (equivalent in dollars) to the Ministry of Science and Technology for the setting up of IT chairs at NED University and the Lahore University of Engineering and Technology.

The Ministry of Science and Technology has allocated half of that amount to the NED University and half to the Lahore University of Engineering and Technology.

Engr Kalam said that the amount is in the form of an endowment. He stated that the IT chair would be occupied according to the advertisement, but the main point is that they will have to get the right man.

The ministry has fixed around $70,000 a year, which is roughly about Rs350,000 per month, he remarked further.

It may also be recalled that the Ministry of Science and Technology has also extended a sum of Rs175 million to the NED University for research purposes.

He said that this very amount has already been received by the university and that it has been put in the endowment. The income from this will be utilized towards funding research projects.—APP