MARDAN, Feb 24: The Abdul Wali Khan University, Mardan, is to mark its 4th foundation day today (Saturday) on the main campus.

Provincial Governor Masood Kausar will be chief guest at the function, while educationists, literary personalities, civil society members, university professors, staff and students will show up in large numbers.

The university was established in April 2009 in line with a commitment the chief minister had made to Mardan people soon after taking the oath.

The government had tasked former vice chancellor of Hazara University and noted archaeologist Professor Dr Ihsan Ali with founding the university and he done it within a short span of time of seven months.

The university has nine campuses with the number of students in 22 disciplines crossing the 6,000 mark. Its teachers total 220 including 120 PhDs and 62 MS/MPhils.

With the government’s assistance, the university has so far awarded 108 scholarships to its faculty members. The first batch of these scholars has already left for the world’s leading universities, mostly in Europe, for MS/MPhils and PhDs.The university has nine libraries and computer labs each and 22 scientific labs. Around 70 government and private colleges are affiliated with it.

Last year, HEC ranked the varsity 52nd in the country and the position has improved to 38th this year.