QAU Alumni Demand Flagship Institution Status from Federal Govt

Shazia Mehboob 

Islamabad: Despite facing financial and other challenges, Quaid-i-Azam University (QAU) has managed to maintain its national and international ranking in research. However, if these obstacles persist, the university’s ranking could be negatively impacted.

These concerns were voiced during the Core Committee meeting of the QAU Alumni Association Founders Group, held in Islamabad on Sunday. 

The core committee demanded that the federal government declare QAU as the flagship university of Pakistan.

Senior Quaidians, under the chairmanship of Dr Abdul Basit, attended the meeting. It was unanimously agreed to persist in practical efforts and bolster existing initiatives geared towards the welfare of Quaidians. The meeting focus remains on fostering unity, positivity, and connectivity among Quaidians while also giving back to alma mater. 

Dr Abdul Basit said that despite so many challenges, QAU is the top ranked institution of Pakistan. With provision of required funding it can further improve its ranking.

Murtaza Noor, a higher education analyst and expert, said the higher education sector has not received the necessary funding in recent years. Despite a rise in the number of universities and a high inflation rate, the recurring budget remains at 65 billion rupees, significantly affecting Pakistani universities.

QAU faces financial constraints, lacking the necessary funds for research, hiring new faculty, maintaining labs, and covering other day-to-day expenses. These limitations have a detrimental effect on the university’s ranking, Murtaza Noor lamented.Following the declaration of QAU as a flagship institution and the allocation of essential financial resources, it could effectively address the challenges it faces, he suggested. 

Dr Samina Yasmeen emphasized the urgent need to address these issues, advocating for a special bailout package for QAU due to its status as a top-ranked institution.

In light of QAU’s outstanding performance in the recent QS World University Ranking, Alumni also urged the federal government to designate QAU as a “Flagship Institution” and provide the necessary financial assistance.

This support is crucial to overcome the institution’s annual deficit of over 500 million rupees, enabling it to continue achieving excellence on regional and international platforms, the core committee argued. 

It was also decided to establish the Quaidians Commoners Academy, under the guidance of Khalid Masood, former Principal Secretary to the President of Pakistan, aimed at providing mentorship to young Quaidians.Additionally, efforts will be made to strengthen the Blood Donors Forum Pakistan (BDFP), resume the Quaidians Mentorship and Scholarship Programs, install new water filtration systems at QAU hostels, and undertake other social welfare projects as a practical way of giving back to the alma mater.

The committee extended congratulations to the Vice Chancellor of QAU, faculty, employees, alumni, and students for achieving impressive rankings in the QS subject ranking 2024. Furthermore, alumni emphasized the need for establishing a Psychological Counseling Centre on the QAU campus to provide continuous counseling and support to students.

They pledged their cooperation in this initiative.