SSUET, AIT thrive under new leadership

By Abdul Qadir Qureshi
(Pakistan News & Features Services)

Ever since the present SSUET Chancellor Jawaid Anwar, who is also the President of Aligarh Mulim University Old Boys Association (AMUOBA), has taken over, the Sir Syed University of Engineering and Technology (SSUET), Karachi, and the Aligarh Institute of Technology (AIT) have made significant strides during the year 2016-17 resulting in infrastructure development as well as financial relief to faculty members and other employees 

"On a positive note the issues were taken as challenges while a strategic plan with corrective measures to address the challenges was delivered on stringent timelines", the progress report 2016-17 published by AMUOBA noted. 

According to the report, the establishment of Quality Enhancement Cell(QEC), comprising of experienced and senior professors, who successfully completed the progress report to be submitted to HEC will help university retain its position in W category. 

The office of the Research, Innovation and Commercialization (ORIC), since its inception earlier this year, achieved a monetary grant from EU with the help of University of Malagawere 3 PhD students, preferably SSUET faculty members can work and complete their research paper in maximum time of five months. The ORIC also conducted a conference at Malagawere University where six research papers were submitted and published in the Impact Factor Journal. 

The Centre of Guidance/Counseling and Career Planning/Placement was revamped for crystal clear guidelines and orientation of students as proper guidance was essential for students to be successful in practical life. 

The Directorate of Sports was launched for the students to actively take part in inter universities tournaments and competitions. Postgraduate Studies Directorate was established to promote higher education in different fields of engineering leading to Masters' and PhD degrees. 

In particular short courses under continuing education program were given too upgrade knowledge of existing teachers and taught. For researchers and faculty development MoUs were signed with national and international universities and now the faculty members were going abroad for research and taking part in international seminars, the beginning of a new era for the faculty members and researchers. 

The university is encouraging the faculty to come up with particular projects that can be funded by the HEC and other international bodies. On the financial side there was general discontent among the faculty about stagnantion of salaries and benefits. 

This serious issue was addressed and a befitting raise in salaries of faculty members and low paid management staff was allowed. The University arranged for medical insurance to all employees which was yet another milestone.

Apart from the recent raise in the pay scale and other benefits, 422 eligible staff members out of 680 regular and non-teaching employees got financial benefits and some of them will also get promotion in keeping with their qualification and experience. 

The contracts of contractual employee were not further extended since 2013 and are now being given extension to enjoy same benefits as are admissible to regular employees. Similarly around 400 daily wages workers were promoted to adhoc while lower grade adhoc employees were regularized as permanent. 

A selection board has been constituted to look after the issue of Faculty upgradation for the long serving employees.

In the year 2016 a new department of Information Technology was introduced raising the number of disciplines to 11 while introduction of disciplines such as Chemical Engineering, Petroleum Engineering, Urban and Infrastructure Engineering, MBA in Social Sciences, CS training were under consideration. 

In order to steer the system effectively a qualified and well experienced team has been raised with hiring of a highly experienced and committed Registrar, Director Finance, Director QEC, Director ORIC and Director P&D, Director Sports and Internal Auditor.