KFUEIT - A Symbol of Hope in South Punjab

We are living in a globalized world. No doubt, it is challenging to align higher education with the changing socio-economic conditions of the country. It is the need of the hour to equip the youth with valuable skills which are compatible with the market and industry. It is necessary for universities in Pakistan to do out-ofbox thinking to meet modern challenges like to impart leadership and entrepreneurial skill to students. It is one of the core responsibilities of the university to develop a research environment to properly address the needs of the region and indigenous society. Universities must develop good linkages with the industry and community. It is difficult to turn youth into success stories without the development of a vibrant educational, research-oriented, innovative and healthy environment in universities. New universities in the country have the potential to develop such a vibrant structure for better education future.

Khwaja Fareed University of Engineering and Information Technology, located in extreme south Punjab, is a hope to change the socio-economic conditions of the region. It is one of the leading universities in Pakistan which has adopted the modern university model and its management has evolved new strategies to cope with the modern challenges in higher education. Two and half years before Prof. Dr. Suleman Tahir took charge of KFUEIT as vice chancellor. In a short period, under his leadership, it has become one of the rapidly growing universities in Punjab. Recently KFUEIT was ranked 740th overall, 440th in Research, 449th in Innovation and 248th in societal rankings by 'SCIMAGO Institutions

Ranking' among 8084 universities and higher education institutes in the world. SCIMAGO ranked KFUEIT 5th countrywide and 378th globally in Environmental Science, Similarly KFUEIT stands 12th countrywide and 625th globally in Chemistry. In the International Times Higher Education (THE) Impact Rankings 2022, KFUEIT ranked 601-800th worldwide with improvement of 200 positions as compared with last year. It ranked 201-300 worldwide in quality education with improvement of 100 positions and ranked 101-200 worldwide in Affordable & Clean Energy. Similarly, in 2021, KFUEIT secured 1st rank among engineering and public sector universities in Pakistan in UI International GreenMetric Ranking. It got 6th rank nationwide and 234th rank worldwide with the improvement of 94 positions in UI International GreenMetric Ranking.

Recently, KFUEIT won 24 NRPU research grants which is the highest figure among universities in Punjab. In the last two years, research publications were increased by 111 percent. More than 90 book chapters and 20 books were written by the faculty. 2050 percent increase in research project submission for different research grants was observed and as a result, KFUEIT won research grants of 400 million rupees including NRPUS. A variety of labs including the Hi-Tech lab was established under various annual development schemes. KFUEIT is the only university offering 100% scholarships for girls in its engineering programs. An increase of 107 percent in the number of students getting scholarships and a 955 percent increase in scholarship amount was recorded. A University endowment fund was established. Last year, the fee for different undergraduate and graduate programs was reduced by 15 to 25 percent.

Due to such a vibrant and enticing learning environment and quality education, the number of students became almost doubled.

More than thirty new BS, MS and Ph.D. programs were initiated. To enhance the exposure of the students and for improved learning, guest lectures of professors from foreign universities were arranged in the majority of classes. To improve classroom teaching, a variety of faculty training workshops were organized in collaboration with PHEC.

Eight development projects are in the completion phase under PC 1 Phase II and twelve development projects from the university's resources were initiated. These development projects include five faculty hostels, three boys hostels, two girls hostels, a community center, executive club, guest house, market, wastewater treatment, shed for buses, etc. University service statutes were approved and implemented in April 2021. The process of recruitment of candidates was initiated in accordance with service statutes. Seven thousand new books were included in the library. A new cafeteria was established. University's first research journal and e-Magazine 'Baat' was initiated. The University fitness gym was opened for students and faculty. Twelve new buses were included in the transport fleet. To improve the co-curricular and extra-curricular eighteen new student societies were initiated. KFUEIT students participated in different national competitions and got distinctions.

Business Incubation Center was established. The first business expo was organized in 2021 in which students presented their business ideas and the winners were awarded seed money for their business startups. It is an effort to promote the culture of entrepreneurship. To provide students with all services at one window and to save their time 'Student Facilitation Center' was established. A bank branch was established on the campus. Under the vision of the Government of Pakistan, more than fifty thousand plants were planted on the campus. South Punjab Skill Development Institute was established in collaboration with NAVTTC. More than six hundred students are enrolled in different certificate courses.

The directorate of sports was established and proper coaching of the athletes was initiated. KFUEIT athletes participated in different national events and won more than sixty medals. Indeed, it is a big achievement in a short time from zero to success. A Daycare center and Directorate of academics were established. To improve research and collaboration more than fortyfive MoUs were signed with different national & international universities or organizations. A policy to improve financial discipline and implement austerity measures was formulated and as a result, the university got financial stability in 2021 first surplus budget of the university was approved. The research scholars at KFUEIT prepared a variety of consumer products in its labs which are ready for marketing. KFUEIT initiated different community development services like donating to the COVID relief fund, blood donation camps, RO water plants for the community, free medical camps and Iftar Dastarkhwan etc. University hosted national and international conferences on science, technology and religious harmony. Vice chancellors of different universities and government ministers visited KFUEIT at different events and appreciated the efforts for its rapid developments. A policy to improve good linkages with the industry was implemented. Recently students of KFUEIT got internships in Unilever RYK.

No doubt, with all above said achievements KFUEIT is a successful model for all emerging higher education institutions in the country. Such excellent planning is the need of time for a better education future and to address the needs of the region & indigenous society. KFUEIT is an emerging university in all avenues of higher education under the vision of its vice chancellor Prof. Dr. Suleman Tahir that soon KFUEIT will become one of the leading universities in Pakistan.