Government College University, Lahore
reliable, independent, third-party sources. (September 2020) ) |
Vice-Chancellor Ahmad Adnan[1] | | |
Academic staff | 454[2] | |
---|---|---|
Administrative staff | 103[2] | |
Students | 10,662[2] | |
Undergraduates | 5,831[2] | |
Postgraduates | 1,712[2] | |
520[2] | ||
Other students | Intermediate, Certifications[2] | |
Location | , , Pakistan 31°34′24″N 74°18′28″E / 31.5732°N 74.3079°E | |
Campus | Urban | |
Colours | Royal blue, goldenrod, maroon | |
Website | gcu |
The Government College University (colloquially known as GCU; Punjabi, Urdu: گورنمنٹ کالج یونیورسٹی) is a public research university in Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan. GCU is ranked among the most prestigious academic institutions in Pakistan. Founded as Government College, Lahore, in 1864 under British administration, it became a university in year 2002.
Overview
In 1864, Government College was established by the
Government College University is noted for its historical roots and produced notable scholars such as
History
Originally, the establishment of a central college in Lahore was sanctioned in 1856 by the
In April 1871, the college moved to a large Bungalow near Anarkali Bazaar. In 1873, its location was again changed to another house called Rahim Khan's Kothi due to rapidly increasing student strength. It moved to its present building in 1876.
The first principal was Dr.
In 2002, it was promoted to university status by the government of Punjab; the word college was retained in its title for preserving its historical roots.[8]
Campus
Old Campus
Positioned in
Kala Shah Kaku Campus
On 24 August 2019, the Kala Shah Kaku campus of the university was inaugurated which is known as GCU KSK campus. The campus is spread over 370 acres, able to house 25,000 students, 1,250 teachers and 650 staff members. 22 hostels are available for accommodation.[11]
On 24 September 2020, the new campus was formally opened to students. A bus shuttle service will operate between both campuses.[12]
Emblem
The torch, as the crest of the university emblem, represents the light of knowledge. The motto "Courage to Know" represents the guiding principle of the student community.[13]
Academics
Programs
The university offers degrees in
- Faculty of Chemistry and Life Sciences[14]
- Faculty of Mathematical & Physical Sciences[15]
- Faculty of Arts & Social Sciences[16]
- Faculty of Language, Islamic & Oriental Learning[17]
- Faculty of Engineering[18]
Research
The university has always been a research-led university, however, in recent times, it has shifted its focus towards quality output projects, which the university believes to be beneficial academically and industrially. Office of Research, Innovation and Commercialization (ORIC) has been set up to manage all research issues. The objective of the office is to advance, diversify and manage all research programs and to uphold international standards of research.[19]
It receives research grants mostly from foreign universities like
Institutes
The university has five autonomous/semi-autonomous, research-oriented institutes, focused on academic and industrial research and development projects. These institutes are:
- Abdus Salam School of Mathematical Sciences (ASSMS) – study of scientific and technological problems by mathematical methods in mathematical sciences.
- Center for Advanced Studies in Physics (CASP) – research and development (R&D) in Experimental Physics.
- Institute of Industrial Biotechnology (IIB) – offers degrees in Biotechnology and Microbiology.
- Sustainable Development Study Center (SDSC) – R&D in Environmental science.
- Center of Excellence of China Studies (CECS) – offers diplomas in China studies.[21]
Abdus Salam School for Mathematical Sciences
The Abdus Salam School of Mathematical Sciences (ASSMS) is one of the largest mathematical research institutes in Pakistan.
In 2011, it was labeled as the first "Emerging Regional Center of Excellence" by the European Mathematical Society (EMS) for the period 2011 to 2015.[24]
It has taken steps to provide encouragement to Pakistani students in schools and colleges. These include:
- Hiring Foreign Faculty to teach or supervise ASSMS students in advanced level mathematics.[25] This step was initiated by the founding Director General of ASSMS, A.D.R. Choudary. Jürgen Herzog, Josip Pečarić,[26] Amer Iqbal, Alexandru Dimca, and Hannah Markwig are among Foreign Faculty that have supervised/co-supervised Ph.D. students at ASSMS.
- Hosted international conferences and workshops in mathematics.[25] The most important conferences of AS-SMS were “World Conferences of Mathematics in the 21st Century” series, held during the tenure of A.D.R. Choudary. Some notable mathematicians that have visited and given talks in this conference series are Ari Laptev (president of the EMS 2007–2010),[27] Marta Sanz-Solé (president of the EMS 2011–2014),[28] Pierre Cartier (an associate of the Bourbaki Group),[29] Arnfinn Laudal,[28] Michel Waldschmidt,[29] János Pach,[28] Alan Huckleberry,[28] Aline Bonami,[29] and Ragni Piene (Chair of the Abel Prize Committee 2010-2014 and the first-ever woman in the International Mathematical Union Executive Committee).[29]
- Up until 2014, during the tenure of A.D.R. Choudary, the faculty at the Abdus Salam School of Mathematical Sciences hosted training camps for students from schools and colleges. The participants of the camps are prepared for the national team of Pakistan to compete at the International Mathematical Olympiad (IMO). In 2005, the national team of Pakistan took part for the first time in IMO. Trained in ASSMS, the Pakistan team won its first medal at IMO in 2007 and its first silver medal in 2012.
- ASSMS initiated the Mathematical Kangaroo contests at the national level.
Chairs
Abdus Salam Chair in Physics
The Abdus Salam Chair in Physics, named after the Pakistani
It has been integrated into Department of Physics, where MPhil and PhD students carry out their research work.
Dr. Rafi Muhammad Chaudhry Chair in Experimental Physics
The Rafi Muhammad Chaudhry Chair in Experimental Physics was named after
The university set up the chair in recognition of his services to Pakistan and to Physics. Currently, post-graduate research work in
Mahboob-ul-Haq Chair in Economics
The Mahboob-ul-Haq Chair in Economics is the latest addition to honorary chairs at the university, named after
The university established the chair to recognize his services to Pakistan, its people, and above all to the discipline of Economics.[40] Apart from post-graduate research in Economics, the chair is also in charge of publishing GCU Economics Journal an annual scholarly and peer-audited publication. Its intent is to act as a platform for researchers, professionals, and students to share their achievements, perspectives, and practical experiences.[41]
Accommodation
The university has four hostels – three for boys and one for girls. Iqbal Hostel (built in 1891) and Quaid-e-Azam Hostel (built in 1993) accommodate about 150 and 200 Intermediate students, respectively. The New Hostel (built in 1937) houses about 400 Degree students. Girls Hostel (built in 1975) accommodates about 50 girl students. A Faculty Mess has been built for visiting family members, faculty and officers of the other universities. Lodging and messing facilities are available here.[42]
Notable alumni
Alumni of the institute are called Ravians, which is a derived word from the name of the student magazine "Ravi", published by the administration of the college; the magazine name itself is inspired by the Ravi River that passes through Lahore.[43]
-
Sir Muhammad Iqbal – the national poet of Pakistan and important figure in Urdu literature.
-
Har Gobind Khorana – won the 1968 Nobel Prize in Medicine.
-
Abdus Salam – won the 1979 Nobel prize in Physics.
-
Ishfaq Ahmad – Pakistani nuclear physicist, who served at CERN and the International Atomic Energy Agency.
-
Wajid Ali Khan Burki – Pakistani ophthalmologist and Army Medical Corps general
- Nawaz Sharif – former three times (12th, 14th, and 20th) prime minister of Pakistan.
- Zafarullah Khan Jamali – 15th prime minister of Pakistan.
- Yousaf Raza Gillani– 18th prime minister of Pakistan.
- Shehbaz Sharif - 23rd prime minister of Pakistan.
- Moeenuddin Ahmad Qureshi – former caretaker prime minister of Pakistan and former senior vice president of the World Bank.
- Lieutenant General Agha Ibrahim Akram – Historian and author
- Hindu rites and buried by the British authorities.[47] Winston Churchill privately acknowledged Dhingra's statement "[t]he Finest ever made in the name of Patriotism".[48]
- Syed Ahmed Shah Patras Bokhari – served as the first Permanent Representative of Pakistan to the United Nations.
- Munir Ahmad Khan – former Chairman of the Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission (PAEC).
- Dev Anand (born Dharamdev Pishorimal Anand; 26 September 1923 – 3 December 2011), Indian film Superstar, writer, director and producer known for his work in Hindi cinema, through a career that spanned over six decades. He was one of the most successful and celebrated actors in the Indian film history.
- Faiz Ahmad Faiz – one of the most celebrated poets of the Urdu language in Pakistan as well as in India.
- Raheel Sharif – former Chief of Army Staff of Pakistan.
- Asif Saeed Khan Khosa– Pakistani jurist who served as the 26th chief justice of Pakistan from 18 January 2019 to 20 December 2019.
- Hamid Gul – former Director-General of the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), Pakistan's premier intelligence agency, between 1987 and 1989.
- Jahangir Khan – 6-time squash world champion, who is widely regarded as the greatest squash player of all time.
- Tariq Jamil – Pakistani Islamic television preacher, religious writer, scholar, and a member of the Tablighi Jamaat.
- Ashfaq Ahmed – Pakistani intellectual, playwright, and broadcaster, awarded the President's Pride of Performance and Sitara-i-Imtiaz for his services in the field of literature.
- Bilal U. Haq – marine geoscientist and poet, France's Prestwich Prize laureate in geology.
- Senior Justice Javed Iqbal – son of Dr Muhammad Iqbal; had a prolific career in the Judiciary of Pakistan
- first-class cricketer who played for Water and Power Development Authority cricket team(WAPDA cricket team), including some time as captain
- cricketer, who represented Pakistan in 1990s. He is a well-known commentator in international cricketmatches. Former chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board.
- Iqrar Ul Hassan – TV presenter and Investigative reporter of ARY News. He hosts a famous program "Sar-e-Aam".
- Ismat Beg (PhD, Bucharest) – mathematician, known for his work on Multiple-criteria decision analysis and fixed point (mathematics)
- Hadiqa Kiani – Pakistani singer.
- Aftab Iqbal – senior TV anchor and Journalist.
- Javed Ahmad Ghamidi – Pakistani Muslim theologian, Quran scholar, Islamic modernist, exegete and educationist.
- Rehan Butt – former international field hockey player and captain of Pakistan team who represented Pakistan from 2002 to 2012.
- Bilal Zafar – Pakistan army officer
- Farid Ahmad Khan - Pakistani doctor and plastic surgeon who served as chairman and dean of Shaikh Zayed Medical Complex from 2015 to 2018, and Registrar of King Edward Medical University from 2011 to 2015.
In popular culture
"The Last Follower and The Resurrection of Voldemort" is Pakistan's first Harry Potter movie, and it was filmed at GCU, which served as Hogwarts in the film. The film is produced by a group of young Ravians which laid the foundation of annual Harry Potter Festival at GCU.[49]
See also
References
- ^ "Vice Chancellor's Welcome Note".
- ^ a b c d e f g "About – GC University, Lahore". Government College University, Lahore. Retrieved 29 August 2020.
- ^ a b "About – GC University, Lahore". gcu.edu.pk. Retrieved 16 September 2019.
- S2CID 253263019.
- ^ "HEC rankings". Higher Education Commission, Pakistan. Archived from the original on 25 May 2013. Retrieved 20 November 2012.
- ^ "Graduation at GCU". GC University, Lahore. Retrieved 24 September 2020.
- ^ "GCU among top 10 universities of Pakistan". www.thenews.com.pk. Retrieved 17 September 2019.
- ^ "The Government College University, Lahore Ordinance, 2002". punjablaws.gov.pk. Retrieved 24 September 2020.
- ^ "GCU Oval ground named after Dr. Leitner". www.thenews.com.pk. Retrieved 18 September 2019.
- ^ "Historical Background". gcu.edu.pk. Archived from the original on 26 February 2020. Retrieved 18 September 2019.
- ^ "GCU KSK Campus Opened For Academic Activities". The Academia. 26 August 2019. Retrieved 23 September 2020.
- ^ "GCU KSK campus becomes operational". www.thenews.com.pk. Retrieved 26 September 2020.
- ^ "GCU Emblem". www.gcu.edu.pk. Archived from the original on 26 February 2020. Retrieved 15 September 2019.
- ^ "Faculty of Chemistry and Life Sciences". GC University, Lahore.
- ^ "Mathematical and Physical Sciences". GC University, Lahore. Archived from the original on 9 May 2021. Retrieved 22 September 2020.
- ^ "Arts & Social Sciences". GC University, Lahore.
- ^ "Languages, Islamic & Oriental Learning". GC University, Lahore.
- ^ "Faculty of Engineering". GC University, Lahore.
- ^ "Office of Research, Innovation and Commercialization (ORIC) – GC University, Lahore". Retrieved 24 September 2020.
- ^ "GCU Research Publications". www.gcu.edu.pk. Retrieved 18 September 2019.
- ^ "GCU Academic Departments". www.gcu.edu.pk. Retrieved 15 September 2019.
- ^ a b "A Report on ASSMS" (PDF). Abdus Salam School of Mathematical Sciences, Lahore. Archived from the original (PDF) on 4 May 2015. Retrieved 17 August 2015.
- ^ "ASSMS – GC University, Lahore". Government College University, Lahore.
- ^ "Emerging Regional Center of Excellence". European Mathematical Society. Archived from the original on 6 September 2015. Retrieved 18 August 2015.
- ^ a b "Foreign Faculty Hiring Program: ASSMS". Higher Education Commission of Pakistan. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 18 August 2015.
- ^ "Josip Pecaric's activities in Pakistan". Croatian World Network. Retrieved 29 June 2021.
- ^ "4th World Conference in 21st Century Mathematics". Abdus Salam School of Mathematical Sciences. Archived from the original on 7 November 2008. Retrieved 18 August 2015.
- ^ a b c d "5th World Conference in 21st Century Mathematics". Abdus Salam School of Mathematical Sciences. Archived from the original on 28 July 2011. Retrieved 18 August 2015.
- ^ a b c d "6th World Conference in 21st Century Mathematics". Abdus Salam School of Mathematical Sciences. Archived from the original on 20 March 2013. Retrieved 18 November 2015.
- ^ GCU houses Dr. Abdus Salam’s Nobel prize Archived 22 October 2012 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ "Facilities, Dept. of Physics". www.gcu.edu.pk. Retrieved 19 September 2019.
- ^ a b ".:.GC University Lahore". Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 11 January 2017.
- ^ "Research Fellowships Awarded". Government College University, Lahore. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 2 October 2012.
- ^ "Research Grants Awarded". Government College University, Lahore. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 2 October 2012.
- ^ Haq, Prof. M. Ikramul (27 January 2004). "Remembering Dr Rafi Chaudhry". Dawn newspaper. Retrieved 21 August 2019.
- ^ "Dr. Rafi Muhammad Chaudhry Chair in Experimental Physics". www.gcu.edu.pk. Archived from the original on 7 March 2020. Retrieved 19 September 2019.
- ISSN 0013-0613. Retrieved 24 September 2020.
- ^ "Human Development | The Reports | Human Development Reports (HDR) | United Nations Development Program (UNDP)". 4 November 2013. Archived from the original on 4 November 2013. Retrieved 24 September 2020.
- ISSN 0013-0613. Retrieved 23 February 2016.
- ^ "Mahboob-ul-Haq Chair in Economics". www.gcu.edu.pk. Archived from the original on 9 February 2020. Retrieved 19 September 2019.
- ^ "Publications: GCU Economic Journal". www.gcu.edu.pk. Archived from the original on 17 January 2020. Retrieved 19 September 2019.
- ^ "Accommodation at GCU". www.gcu.edu.pk. Retrieved 18 September 2019.
- ^ GCU. "Old Ravian Union". Old Ravian Union. Retrieved 9 September 2013.
- ISBN 978-0-14-010781-4.
- ISBN 978-81-7871-117-1.
- ^ "Madan Lal Dhingra". The Open University. Retrieved 19 March 2016.
- ^ Godbole, Dr Shreerang. "Madan Lal Dhingra: A lion hearted National hero". Hindu Janajagruti Samiti. Retrieved 19 March 2016.
- ISBN 9788184302295.
- ^ Reporter, The Newspaper's Staff (8 March 2020). "GCU students' Harry Potter film screened". DAWN.COM. Retrieved 5 November 2023.
External links
- Media related to Government College University, Lahore at Wikimedia Commons
- Official website