(GCU) – Page 28 – Newswire Pakistan

August 9, 2021August 10, 2021

Workshop on aligning academic research with SDGs

Lahore, August 09, 2021 (PPI-OT):A workshop on Aligning Academic Research with Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) was held here at the Government College University Lahore under the auspices of its Sustainable Development Study Centre (SDSC) and Environment Protection Society (EPS). Faculty members from different academic departments of GCU took part in the workshop.

In his key note address on “SDGs and their relevance for older persons”, Vice Chancellor Prof. Dr. Asghar Zaidi emphasized on the importance of integration of SDGs in academic research. He said that all departments in GCU Lahore should streamline their research with the SDGs.

Director SDSC and Advisor EPS, Prof. Dr. Faiza Sharif, Dr. Mujtaba Baqar and Dr. Eng. Muhammad Imran facilitated a mapping exercise to explain the participating faculty members on aligning their research with SDGs, which was followed by question answer session. Dr. Faiza Sharif emphasized that as part of the Vice Chancellor’s vision to make 2021 an exceptional year, GCU aims to be a “SDGs engaged university” and more such faculty workshops will be carried out in future.

For more information, contact:
Public Relations Department,
Government College University (GCU)
Squash Complex, GC University, Lahore, Pakistan
UAN: +92-42-111-000-010 Ext: 296
Tel: +92-42-99213343
Cell: +92-321-8440769
Email: registrar@gcu.edu.pk
Website: http://www.gcu.edu.pk

August 9, 2021August 10, 2021

Webinar on Life under Occupation – The Misery at the Heart of the Conflict

Lahore, August 09, 2021 (PPI-OT):A webinar on Life under Occupation: The Misery at the Heart of the Conflict was held here at the Government College University Lahore under the auspices of its Palestine Society. Vice Chancellor Prof. Dr. Asghar Zaidi chaired the webinar which was addressed by Mr. Refaat Alareer, who lives in Gaza and is the editor of “Gaza Writes Back,” a collection of short stories.

In his key-note address, Mr. Alareer shed light upon the gravity of the situation in Palestine, saying that “it’s time to stand against the injustice happening over the land of Palestine; people around the world should put pressure on their respective governments and political representatives to sever economic ties with Israel.” “The resistance against the brutality of Israeli forces has to be raised globally to make the voice of Palestinians heard by the whole of humanity,” he said.

Vice Chancellor Prof. Zaidi said injustice should never be tolerated in any region of the world; until the Kashmir and Palestine issues are resolved, the dream of peace in the world will never come true. He talked about how Qibla e Awal is significant to all Muslims and the student body of GCUPS looks for every possible opportunity to support and highlight the cause. Advisor GCUPS, Ms. Sumera Khalil also addressed the webinar which was followed by questions answer session.

August 9, 2021August 10, 2021

GCU Syndicate approves new initiatives and reforms

Lahore, August 09, 2021 (PPI-OT):The 64th meeting of the Syndicate of Government College University Lahore was held here at the University’s Postgraduate Block, which approved new degree programmes including LLB (Hons), BFA (Painting), BS (Management Studies), MPhil (Disaster Management) and PhD (Geography). Vice-Chancellor Prof. Dr Asghar Zaidi chaired the meeting which was attended by around 15 honourable members. Eminent civil rights activist Hina Jilani and noted academician Prof. Sajida Haider Vandal attended the meeting online.

Members of Punjab Assembly Ms Shawana Bashir and Mr Khurram Ijaz Chatta, Home Economics University Vice-Chancellor Prof. Dr Kanwal Ameen, Lahore Board Chairman Dr Mirza Habib, Institute of Industrial Biotechnology (IIB) Director Dr Nouman Aftab and faculty deans were present at the meeting also attended by the representatives of Higher Education, Finance and Law and Parliamentary Affairs departments.

The participants confirmed the minutes of previous meetings and highlighted the need for more frequent Syndicate meetings. They also approved the University’s annual budget for the fiscal year 2021-22 and appreciated that the GCU budget of the previous academic year was in surplus. Further, recommendations of the 29th meeting of the GCU Finance and Planning Committee were endorsed by the Syndicate members after a detailed discussion.

The meeting also consented to the recommendations of the 24th and 25th meetings of the GCU Academic Council, which included the establishment of new institutes, departments and a centre, besides the new academic programmes. The Syndicate members appreciated the steps taken for bringing evening programmes at par with the morning programmes and approved new admissions criteria and zero semester policy.

The honourable Syndicate members also approved the recommendations of the various selection boards of faculty and administrative positions after due deliberations. They also approved new criteria for hiring the senior faculty. Concluding the meeting, the Syndicate members appreciated the reforms and initiatives taken by the University.

Vice-Chancellor Prof. Zaidi expressed gratitude to the Syndicate members for their valuable input and interest in academic and administrative matters. The members showed confidence and assured the Vice-Chancellor of their full cooperation in bringing about new initiatives and reforms.

July 26, 2021July 27, 2021

Academic Council approves reforms in GCU admission policy, academic programmes

Lahore, July 26, 2021 (PPI-OT):The Academic Council of Government College University Lahore has approved major reforms in the university’s admission process and structure of academic programmes. The Council approved a policy of entrance test and aptitude interview for admissions in undergraduate programmes of all disciplines except Physical Education and Fine Arts, where practical are necessary.

Apart from the entrance test carrying a weight of 30%, and aptitude interview 20%, intermediate results will receive the weight of 40% and another 10% will be given to matriculation. Sample papers for the entrance tests and guidelines for interviews has been made available on the University’s website.

Prof Dr Asghar Zaidi, VC GCU said: “Unfortunately, our admissions system has miserably failed to test the skillset required for pursuing good quality higher education. We find a great difference in the marking standards of various secondary boards. Applicants often have high scores but do not possess basic conceptual clarity, and communication and analytical skills. On the basis of marks, they are admitted to disciplines for which they lack aptitude. Our teachers have to focus on improving students’ basic skills; a university is not supposed to impart school/ college level education. Our new undergraduate admission policy will attract the best of best minds and ensure learnings based on leading-edge knowledge”.

The Academic Council also recommended a policy proposal for bringing evening undergrad programmes at par with the morning. Evening programmes will now be called self-supporting. Self-supporting students are now eligible for scholarships, hostels and transport facilities.

Prof Zaidi said: “Self-supporting students are admitted on merit and pay fifty percent higher fee. They deserve facilities like regular students. Through centralized timetabling, self-supporting students will now be able to take classes with regular students. This will help them better to integrate in the University culture and acquire socializing skills in a formal academic setting. Centralized timetable will also increase options of subjects for them which was not available previously. We have also approved merit-based scholarships for self-supporting students to support them financially and to ensure academic rigour in our programmes”.

The Academic Council also approved the standardization of nomenclature of undergrad degrees. All degree programmes will be called Bachelor of Studies (BS). The step was taken in line with the HEC’s policy and to avoid confusion in the job market where different nomenclatures are used for similar degree programmes.

July 26, 2021July 27, 2021

Government College University to establish Institute of History

Lahore, July 26, 2021 (PPI-OT):The Government College University Lahore is going to establish the Institute of History which would offer graduate and postgraduate programs in History of Art, Archive Studies and History. Chairperson of the Academic Council, Vice-Chancellor Prof. Dr Asghar Zaidi revealed on Sunday that the University’s Academic Council recommended for approval the establishment of the Institute which would offer BS, MPhil and PhD degrees in the History of Art, and MPhil and PhD degree programmes along with a certificate course for professionals in Archive Studies.

Prof. Zaidi believed that nations and communities are judged based on their art and it is highly unfortunate that we do not have any art history department in Pakistan. “We do not teach our students to understand our and others’ cultures, and this lack of knowledge reflects in the form of fragmentation, misperception, fear of the unknown, extremism and identity crisis in our society,” he said.

The Vice-Chancellor said the orientation of their art history programmes is global; Dr Priya Maholay from the National University of Singapore, Prof. Shaukat Mahmood (Maxim), Dr Nadhra Shahbaz of LUMS and other international experts helped our team to design the programmes on the pattern of Harvard, Cambridge and UC Berkeley.

“We tried to produce courses that could appreciate the diversity and plurality of this world, and focus on understanding, interpreting, collecting and maintaining archival records in hard and digital forms,” he added. Highlighting the importance of Archive Studies, the Vice-Chancellor said as a country, we have to preserve our institutions’ memory and record because without these records in order, we can neither reflect on our institutional practices nor can we devise a forward-looking strategy and the result can be degeneration of institutions.

The GCU Lahore nominated Dr Kevin Greenbank, archivist at the University of Cambridge, and Muhammad Mazher Saeed, Deputy Director at National Archives Islamabad as external experts for preparing Archive Studies programmes.

July 26, 2021July 27, 2021

Government College University adopts open-book examination system

Lahore, July 26, 2021 (PPI-OT):The Academic Council of Government College University Lahore has unanimously approved the University’s new examinations policy to be implemented in Fall 2021 for all undergraduate and postgraduate programmes. This makes GCU the first public sector University of Pakistan to allow its teachers to conduct project-based and open-book exams.

Prof Dr Asghar Zaidi, VC GCU, said: “We have come to this policy after a lengthy consultative process. The COVID-19 experience provided us with an opportunity to review our learning methods. Over the last one and a half years, we conducted three exams which were open-book/open-internet, and project-based. On the basis of these experiences and after reviewing the performance of students in closed-book exams, we realize that the project-based assessment is a more effective learning tool than other modes”.

Prof Zaidi further elaborated: “The world has moved to situation/project-based assessment systems, whereas we have been still sticking with a centuries-old, redundant examination system. Our academic heads, especially of Social Sciences and Languages faculties, have serious reservations about closed-book, time-bound examination system that promotes selective studies and rote learning. Consequently, our graduates lack argumentation, and practical skills. We cannot build strong institutions and nation with such graduates who uncritically accept information in textbooks and media”.

While explaining the objectives of introducing a new assessment policy, Prof Zaidi said: “All focus of a course will now be on argumentation, problem solving, exploration and innovation. With the new examination system in place, our students will acquire skills to analyze, evaluate, and synthesize knowledge which is the main aim of higher education. They will learn to cooperate with peers, do careful planning and show flexibility, which the closed-book, sit-in exam system discourages. Over the last year or so, our teachers have also learned to design effective open-book, project-based exams.”

Prof Zaidi further explained: “Of course, open book/project-based evaluation is not suitable for all disciplines. Mathematics, Statistics and a number of other departments can conduct on-campus exams, provision for which is available in the new system”.

The University has also changed the weightage of marks for the assessment. Final semester exams will be of 50% marks, mid-term exams carry a weightage of 20 % and semester work is of 30 %. Teachers will design a rubric for each assessment component of a course, which will be shared with students before the start of a semester.

Earlier, the Academic Council approved major reforms in the university’s admission process and structure of academic programmes. The Council approved a policy of entrance test and aptitude interview for admissions in undergraduate programmes. The Council also approved the standardization of nomenclature of undergraduate degrees.