LAHORE, July 21: The Punjab University academic council on Thursday approved the launch of the semester system in all departments from the next session, starting in September this year. It also approved the establishment of four new faculties and five constituent colleges. The faculties are the Faculty of Life Science, Faculty of Behavioural and Social Sciences, Faculty of Islamic Studies and Faculty of Economics and Management.

The colleges are the College of Engineering and Emerging Technology, the College of Pharmacy, the College of Fine Arts and Design, the College of Environmental Sciences and the College of Banking and Finance.

The council also approved the recommendations of the board of studies and board of faculties regarding various degree and diploma programmes.

Vice-chancellor Arshad Mahmood reportedly asked the deans to nominate two members each to work out modalities regarding shifting from annual to semester system.

As many as 144 agenda items were discussed during the meeting.

The VC said the university had improved its infrastructure, expanded educational facilities, set up 16 new departments, launched 25 new disciplines at post-graduation and 15 at under post-graduation levels. He said a strict vigilance through monitoring teams had reduced cases of unfair means.

The deans of faculties, principals of the constituent colleges, chairmen of departments, professors and representatives of the education department attended the meeting.