UAF ranked second among all national universities

The Organisation of Islamic Conference (OIC) has ranked the University of Agriculture, Faisalabad (UAF) second best after Agha Khan University amongst all public and private institutions of higher learning across the country.
This was stated by Professor Dr Iqrar Ahmad Khan, Vice Chancellor UAF while addressing the assistant professors' meeting as a chief guest on Friday at New Senate Hall of the varsity. Dr Iqrar urged young scientists to explore new avenues as a global researcher as many funding opportunities are available in various agencies and global universities in many disciplines. He said that the Australian Nobel Laureate in Microbiology, Berry Marshal has agreed to supervise PhD & Post Doctoral Scholars from UAF and he has asked the young faculty members to enhance their capacity under the supervision of the said Nobel-prize winner.
He pointed out that due to highest standard of education and research, the number of research projects being run by the university's scientists has increased fourfold during the last three years. In the same tenure, UAF won 214 externally funded projects worth Rs 1,085 million as compared to 70 projects worth 200,000,000 million three years ago.
Taking about the pay system, he said traditional Basic Pay Scale (BPS) System is being replaced with Tenure Track System (TTS) in the public sector universities and UAF, also, has adopted this mechanism keeping in view enhancement of teaching standards. Now, it is the era of the TTS as it plays pivotal role in the grooming of teachers. He added that the teachers on TTS enjoy 30 percent increase in their salaries in the financial year as compared to 15 percent in BPS.
Terming the educationists an engine of growth, he urged them to expedite the pace of work for the development of country as well as common man as he said that salaries of the educationists are being paid from the taxes of the common man. Therefore, they should no leave unturned to come up to the expectation of the society and welfare of the nation, he added. Speaking on the occasion, Professor Dr Asif Ali, Director Office of Research, Innovation & Commercialisation (ORIC), UAF said that the faculty members are taking keen interest in the research as it could be gauged from the fact that as many as 365 research projects worth 3,000 million are in the pipeline. These projects, he added, will be executed soon.