University of Gujrat: The Future of Pakistan
Posted on 19. May, 2010 by Jeff in World News
By Raja G Mujtaba
University of Gujrat
I was invited by Mr Muhammad Yaqoob, (a friend of mine and a social media geek) who is working as a consultant at university; I on my part for paucity of time was not able to make it. Gujrat has been a very fertile area as for art and culture are concerned. Initially Gujrat was known because of Zamindar College, this college had the fame far and beyond. Zamindar College was established during the British rule by the local people of Gujrat. Although this college had the potential to grow into something like a university but the nationalisation of educational institutions by Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto destroyed the potential for advancement and growth.
This University Of Gujrat has been established under the spiritual shadow of Hafiz Muhammad Hayat, a saint who lived
Zamindar College, Gujrat
here some 300 years back. Little is known about the life and history of Hafiz Muhammad Hayat, who came to Wazirabad from Delhi during the Mughal rule. Here, he met a saint Hazrat Baqi Shah, who asked him to cross the river and settle near the fort of Raja Kaladhvi. The mound on which be settled belonged to the Raja and was surrounded by a dense forest. Hafiz Muhammad Hayat helped the local people with his spiritual powers and soon became famous.
The Mughal administrators of that time granted him several bighas (acres) of land. Emperor Jahangir abolished tax on this land at the request of his wife Nur Jahan. The saint donated the entire land to state authorities for the cause of education. The main campus of UOG has been constructed on that very land donated by Hafiz Muhammad Hayat more than three centuries ago.
I took Brig Malik Afzal, commandant Military College, a friend of mine along so we both could visit it together and see things from different angles. Once we arrived there, the whole campus looked a different world. It had its majestic look, a grandiose view, a blend of modern and traditional architecture.
Before taking a round of the campus, we were introduced to Professor Syed Shabir Husain Shah, Director Planning and Development. I found him a person of immense intellect with an open mind to discuss and develop the conversation. His in depth knowledge of the region was commendable. He is a person whom I would like to meet frequently for exchange of views and thoughts.
Each wing of the campus had a different look from the rest and well segregated for the convenience of administration. In a short span of time, the UOG has made its impact, now it’s a respected name in the field of education. It has a strength of over 5000 students of which more than 50% are girls. Here one finds students from almost all over Pakistan.
Besides some faculties like social sciences, medical college, pure sciences etc., that are standard to any university, UOG has the distinction of having a School of Art and Design. I was given a detailed briefing by its head Khawaja Fawad. After having visited it in detail and understanding its scope, purpose and potential, I can safely say that School of Art and Design is the Crown of UOG and Mr Fawad is the jewel of the crown.
Going through the credentials of Khawaja Fawad, one can only feel proud of having such a person who is giving a new directions to make Pakistan move into future by designing futuristic products. He has very ambitious programme that he is following to make Pakistan compatible and competitive in the world market through innovative designing that’s both functional and pleasing to the eye.
For establishing such an institute, the credit goes to the Vice Chancellor Dr Mohammad Nizamuddin. Who has shown his vision to equip Pakistan with such fields without which Pakistan cannot stay abreast with the world.
School of Art and Design
The School of Art and Design (SAD) at the University of Gujrat (UOG) has a strong commitment to the promotion of arts
Some work of the students
and crafts. Having an accomplished faculty and impressive facilities, The School’s curricula provides the students with an excellent opportunity to specialise in different disciplines and explore their interest in various mediums.
SAD fully prepares the students to work in a complex and rapidly changing multicultural environment at the national and international level. Combining studio work with academic studies, the BS (Honours) programme is especially designed for those students who want to get a specialised degree in fine arts and design. The development of the students is enriched by a combination of intense studio experience and study of the liberal arts. Therefore, they learn to think clearly, critically and creatively, besides getting an understanding of the history and theory of art and design.
SAD aims at providing the students with creative and technical skills needed to thrive in today’s fast-changing art and design world. After graduating from the School, the students will leave with professional-level portfolios of well-crafted design and artwork that will provide them with a solid foundation for their careers. The courses are taught by a faculty of established artists and art critics, and comprise lectures, rigorous studio work and field trips.
In addition to spacious brand new classrooms, there are several large, all-purpose studios and painting classrooms with professional lighting and easels, and a prop room containing items and fabrics for still life compositions. Each room has model stands for the students to elevate and view different poses.
Some of the available facilities include: digital photography studio, digital video lab, glass studio, Mac Pro lab, model making studio, painting studio, printmaking studio, print shop with Heidelberg press, rapid prototype studio, sculpture studio, sheet metal studio, vacuum framing studio and woodwork studio. Six days a week, the School offers full-time classes, so that the students can practice their skills. The entire campus of UOG and adjoining fields are also used for outdoor painting and sketching assignments.
After graduating, the students have a wide choice to choose from various careers. For example, they can become 3-D animators, art administrators, art consultants, art critics, art directors, background painters, ceramists, digital videographers, fashion designers, gallery owners, game designers, graphic communication designers, motion graphics experts, muralists, museum curators, painters, portrait artists, pottery designers, printmakers, product designers, prototype designers, sculptors, textile designers and visual effects artists.
The School of Art and Design (SAD) has the following five departments that offer different courses:
- Department of Fine Arts
- Department of Graphic Design
- Department of Multimedia
- Department of Product Design
- Department of Textile/Surface, Home Fashion and Accessory Design
Pakistan Product Design Center:
Product Design/Industrial Design is a socio-scientific phenomenon of the human society. It is emerging profession of the modern day civilization. Human civilization is consistently and its needs are getting ever changing dimensions. Creativity, Functionality, Safety, ease of use and Aesthetics in all products throughout our homes, offices, on the roads, in the air and in the water, are the essential requirements in a finished product.
Conventional thinking and traditions are the hindrances in product design education and development. Product design articles include from household articles to an airplane, in fact if you exclude walls from buildings and homes, roads and highways from infrastructure, everything else is a product and thousands of Product Designers are working round the clock in the world designing from spoons to space shuttles, except in Pakistan. Prof. Khawaja, who has been educated in the US and has worked in New York for 35 years, said his passion to work hard and smart.
Dr Khawaja is a professional who is totally committed to his work. He is a living example of following in the Quaid’s saying “Work, Work and just work.” He has very effectively blended it with the modern technology and right tools to produce all we need to live with and contribute to the national economy with a sense of pride.
India introduced this field much ahead of us. They produced 700 Product Designers in 2006 with a target of 5000 for 2010. For this reason alone, Indian products find their place in the international market on the premium shelves of Macys and other such like chains in the US.
SAD has given the lead, it has established a center for excellence in the field of product design which is second to none. With this sort of inputs and impetus, very soon Pakistan will find itself in the ranks of high value finished products.
Prof. Fawad Khawaja has briefed several trade and commercial delegations from within the country. Last such delegation was from Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI). He emphasizes on every delegation to spread the word around that SAD of UOG is a fully capable and competent faculty to change product designing trends in the country. It’s imperative upon such bodies to fully patronize and utilize the capabilities of SAD for a better industrial growth.
LCCI delegates were on a visit to First Annual Fine Art Thesis Exhibition 2010 at School of Art, Design & Architecture at University of Gujrat. Prof Khawaja explained all the significant aspects of the product design research and creative process including a state of the art automatic 3D model making equipment known as Rapid Prototype Machine imported from the US. Complete with computer and 12 other work studios. Later the delegates moved around the campus and visited the venue of the exhibition. During her visit to the exhibition Ms. Talat Hafeez leader of delegation appreciated the student’s work in Product Design, Graphic Communication, Multimedia, Textile Design and Fine Art Departments, and termed the standard of work at par with the any national institution or elsewhere abroad. She termed the institutions as real state of the art. Architecture quality of academic planning and infrastructure has made the campus proud worthy. She hoped that the time will come when the UOG will be recognized as the world class university.
For providing socio-political stability and proper guideline to Pakistan, I would suggest the following to the Vice Chancellor, Dr Mohammad Nizamuddin.
- Pakistan being an Islamic State, it would be in line if Qur’an is introduced as a subject. Normally it must be introduced from Higher Secondary level but for graduate and post graduate classes it must be compulsory.
- An Allama Iqbal seat must be established where Iqbal’s vision and philosophy must be taught. Not only in Pakistan, Dr Iqbal is respected and studied in almost every Muslim country.
- Islamic socio-political thought should be part of regular curriculum.
For further integration, UOG should offer 20 seats to Economic Cooperation Organisation (ECO). This would be a good
Dr Fawad conducting Norwegian Ambassador, HE Robert Kevile
gesture to bring the future of the region in direct communication. This case can be initiated through ECO desk in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs at Islamabad.
School of Art and Design has also captured the fancy of the Diplomatic Corps in Pakistan. The last Ambassador to visit the UOG was Robert Kevile, Ambassador of Norway to Pakistan.
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43 Responses to “University of Gujrat: The Future of Pakistan”
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Sohail Parwaz
19. May, 2010
A wonderful drive through the university. Thanks for updating. So now Pakistanis can proudly claim that in Gujrat there are some other assets also besides’The Chauhdarys’.
Mehreen Saeed
20. May, 2010
This is a great project to expand high level education in Pakistan. This also shows to the world especially to Pakistani Americans such as myself that Pakistan is not just about violence, and that development is certainly taking place. I definitely agree with your ideas that Quran should be offered as a proper subject and Iqbal’s vision and Islamic political thought should have a place because these thoughts represent Pakistan’s history, philosophy and the people. Organizations such as ECO with regional implications are also necessary as they can help elevate the status of the University at a broder regional level.
Ghazala Awan
20. May, 2010
Surprised to read, I never heard about it. You have done a great job indeed, by introducing this project. That?s what we need to do, to promote, a whole spectrum of Pakistan in front of the world and within country to increase hope /since of fulfilment in new generation. tusi great ho ji
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20. May, 2010
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Muhammad Yaqoob
20. May, 2010
Thank you so very much for posting about University of Gujrat. We really appreciate your valuable contribution of introducing UOG to your readers.
We value your thoughts and suggestions. Although we cannot reply to each individual response, we do appreciate their feedback and will use it to evaluate changes and make improvements. I greatly enjoy being part of UOG.
Zafar Abbas
20. May, 2010
Type your comment here…
Zafar Abbas
20. May, 2010
Thank you, It’s awesome to see that old picture of Zamindar college where i used to bike around during my school & college days. Gujrat is growing….
Awais javed
20. May, 2010
Nicely brief sir
shoaib
20. May, 2010
our great thanks to ALLAH that university of gujrat engineering department is afiliated with pakistan engineeering council
engineering department progress day by day
Ayesha Rashid
20. May, 2010
we are very thankful to Allah Almighty and All of u to provide such a great platform to learn………
UOG ROCKS……!
Shirazi
20. May, 2010
Thanks Yaqoob for two things: One, indicating this wonderful resource that is a real good opinion maker or should I say public opinion molder. I tend to follow this and as you know I am open to persuasion and change my opinion when I see logic. I find a lot of logic here. I intend ‘cultivating’ Raja as well.
And yes, Raja is right, future does lie in good seats of learning. And UOG is one of the best. I hope he reads those two articles on UOG that I wrote on UOG.
sylvia t villalobos
20. May, 2010
A State of the Art University with rich Historical past.
Dr. Shahid Qayyum
20. May, 2010
It is wonderful to know about this new seat of learning. Thanks for the info.
iram naz
20. May, 2010
i love my university
Tanvir Ahmed Siddiqui
20. May, 2010
Change is silent… and positive Change is always silent and soft because it takes its due course of time and action to nourish in permanence. Education , awareness and sense of self realisation in any society is same like flow of stream that make its way in between and over the rocks, debris and boulders…its like blood that silently keeps flowing within and across sections and keeps on purifieng our arteries.
HOPE is the only lamp that we must keep enlightened because this last lamp will InshaAllah re-enlighten those lamps of UNITY–FAITH–DECIPLINE which were handed over to us by our ancestors but we have extinguished them with our own deeds. Such seats and their patrons of education and awareness and self realisation are the Lamps of HOPE..
umer
20. May, 2010
uog rokxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Aayan
21. May, 2010
I lOve uOg,,,,!!!!
Yasmeen Ali
21. May, 2010
We need good institutions throughout Pakistan to provide standard education to our youth.These must not be ONLY concentrated in the bigger cities.I believe the new campus of university of Gujrat (UOG) has been built over 1000 canals, about 12 km away from Gujrat City. The University is offering degree programs ranging from BS (Hons.), BBA (Hons), M.A, MBA, M.Com, M.SC to M.Phil programs in various disciplines following the guidelines of the Higher Education Commission (HEC).
Thank you for sharing the beautiful picture of the front of the Zamindar College.Graceful architechture.I do believe the Main Campus has been named after a local sufi saint Hafiz Muhammad Hayat. Situated prominently in the University of Gujrat campus, the shrine of Hafiz Hayat is an exquisite complex in terms of its architecture, site planning and landscape design. It is located on a mound six feet high above the Terre plain.
Maybe I can visit there one of these days.
What a treat that will be.
YAA
Tanvir Ahmed Siddiqui
21. May, 2010
YAA:
We all need not only good but equal opportunity and equally affordable education for all…Like My son (of an average earning father) is ready for admission into any Engg decipline … but the kind of hefty expense he requires to arrange (especially from any private institution) to make his dream come true… i sometime wake up in the night and sweat to think of..
Yasmeen Ali
21. May, 2010
Agreed Tanveer. Till last year University of Baluchistan had to take a loan from bank to pay salaries of their teachers!
YAA@Tanvir Ahmed Siddiqui,
Yasir Arfat Dudhra
24. May, 2010
proud to be a part of UOG
saqib omer
24. May, 2010
UOG is a wonderful blessing of ALLAH ALMIGHTY.
arzoo ahmed
24. May, 2010
world class universty
Gul
23. Feb, 2011
No doubt, UOG is touching international standards but its faculty will have to work very hard to give it World Clss Status.
Masooma
25. May, 2010
Tremndous, outstanding, undoubtedly it will be one of the best universities in pakistan INSHALLAH………..
Great job every one is doing over here
kashif butt
25. May, 2010
Proud to be a part of UOG/
We are very thankful to Allah Almighty and All of u to provide such a great platform to learn.
Really a great platform for all punjab specially for GUJRAT
thanks UOG
Zeeshan Quddos
27. May, 2010
Education does not mean teaching people to know what they do not know; it means teaching them to behave as they do not behave. so ethical values are more important. The universities are the best places to develop all these that we especially (youngsters)are lacking behind………LOVE YOUR PROFESSION AND CONFESS ITS DEVELOPMENT IN YOUR LIFE’S MISSIONS………..
saba
28. May, 2010
great job…….
sadia zafar
01. Jun, 2010
Fabulous………!
There is opportunity for gujrat students to make their identity. I am greatly thankful all of you………
moona
02. Jun, 2010
v r proud to b student of this uni
but it is necessary to maintain our image good so that v r admired by every1.
for this purpose v shud must work hard so that v can achieve our goal n also destinantion
our foremost priorty shud must b given to the uog for its development
waqas ahmed
03. Jun, 2010
i think it honor for me to be a student of UOG under the supervision of our Vice Chancellor and its team, who are running UOG to a world class university .
no doubt within a very short span of time UOG have got an believe position in educational organizations but i think we should keep one thing our mind that our destination is to make UOG a world class university . we all should contribute in this journey of UOG with our administration.
i pray may Allah All mighty give us more determination , courage and devotion to continue our journey toward a World Class University . (Ameem)
Awais Arshad
03. Jun, 2010
i am also happy from this univ of the study.03076282334
Meyaan Amer
03. Jun, 2010
lecturar of univercity of the gujrat. i am succesful from MBA the complete in the univ of gujrat
Umar Ashraf
04. Jun, 2010
i love my university& department (ENGINEERING)
ROCKS UOG ENGINEERZZZZZZZZZZ
Syed Shahzad ul Hassan
18. Jun, 2010
Very nice and detailed article.Good Work
humairah
26. Aug, 2010
two words to say….simply awesome…
very well done, keep it up…
MAY ALLAH BLESS THIS INSTITUTION WITH FAME SAFETY AND PROSPERITY…AMIN
maisam abbas
22. Sep, 2010
can i change my subject after admission in the university in any other subject. i have taken admission n product design and change to computer science i have got the seat from
Aatif
29. Jan, 2011
I know VC personaly and he is really a good person.. I expect UOG to be the leading university one day.
There are several scholarships available for Pakistani nationals. Here is a good resource.
http://www.pakuniversities.com
Gul
23. Feb, 2011
Hi Raja Mujtaba, You have written an awesome article about University of Gujrat. You are right to call UOG as the future of Pakistan.
We all people of Gujrat are very proud of UOG.
Here is my weblog about Gujrat, please visit and give me some peice of advice.
http://www.gujratpakistan.com
Thanks
Zubair
18. Apr, 2011
To me it was more like the advertisement of Fine Arts Departement of UOG. We have many more departments here in University of Gujrat. We are also doing valueable work as well..
Raja Mujtaba
19. Apr, 2011
Mr Zubair, your point is taken. But the writer can only write about whats shown to him/her. On my some other visit to this wonderful institution, I shall try and cover other departments too.
Having said that School of Art and Design is unique to UOG.
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02. Aug, 2011
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ayesha afzal
05. Jan, 2012
east or west my uog is the best.