UAF Syndicate approves establishment of two research & development cells

FAISALABAD: The Syndicate of the University of Agriculture Faisalabad formally approved setting up two research and development cells in the varsity, one in the Department of Entomology and another in the Department of Agronomy on Organic Agriculture.

In the backdrop of Covid-19, the 320th meeting of the UAF syndicate was first of its kind that went online with Prof Dr Muhammad Ashraf in the chair. The meeting was attended by Justice Ali Baqir Najfi of the Lahore High Court, Prof Dr Nasir Amin (HEC nominee), Chaudhry Muhammad Ashfaq, Prof Dr Ashfaq Ahmad Chattha, Prof Dr Mahmood Ahmad Randhawa, Prof Dr Farzana Rizvi, Dr Abdul Nasir Awan, Ahsan Raza Sattar, Dr Misbah Ijaz, Dr Atiya Awan, Divisional Director Local Fund Audit Abdul Rauf, Agriculture Additional Secretary Ubaidullah and Dr Shahid Iqbal from Punjab Livestock and Dairy Development Department. The syndicate endorsed the budget proposals of Rs 10 billion for the financial year 2020-21 recommended by the Finance and Planning Committee that would be presented before the university’s senate for getting final approval.

The house also gave approval of the proceedings of the Academic Council that would enable the varsity to open new degree programmes at under and postgraduate levels in main as well as sub-campuses. The syndicate after threadbare discussion also approved the appointments of various chairpersons of teaching departments. Addressing the participants, UAF Vice Chancellor Prof Dr Muhammad Ashraf underscored to recruit faculty members in Math and Stat as well as in Physics having expertise in Applied Mathematics and Theoretical Physics thereby to publish more research papers and review articles that would help the varsity raises its citations and ranking as well. He told the house that amid the Covid-19 pandemic and shrinking financial health, various universities of the country were on the verge of bankruptcy but owing to best financial discipline and management today, the pension endowment fund of the varsity was in good health enabling it to pay present and future pensioners. He informed the house that out of 30,000 students, nearly 7,000 were getting financial assistance provided by various national and international donor agencies. He feared that due to Covid-19 pandemic, more students from poor financial background may not be able to continue their studies without financial help from the university. He vowed to ask the Directorate of Financial Assistance and University Advancement (DFAUA) to expand its assistance for such needy students.