Quaid-i-Azam University Islamabad ( ur, ; commonly referred to as QAU), founded as University of Islamabad, is a ranked 1
public research university in
Islamabad, Pakistan.
Founded as the University of Islamabad in 1967, it was initially dedicated to the study of
postgraduate education but expanded and established as Qaid e Azam university in 1973 to an
interdisciplinary university offering undergraduate and postgraduate education.
Overview
The university has, as of 2015, grown into the largest varsity in
Islamabad with a total enrollment exceeding 13,000 students.
The university is on a 1700
acres (or 6.9 km
2) campus on the foothills of the
Margalla
The Margalla Hills () are a hill range within the Margalla Hills National Park on the northern edge of Islamabad Capital Territory, Pakistan, just south of Haripur District, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. They are part of the Himalayan foothills. The ...
.
Divided into four faculties and nine affiliated research institutes, QAU is among Pakistan's largest and
highest ranked public universities. In 2020, it is ranked between 510 and 520 overall whilst in Physics, Mathematics and agriculture departments ranked 225th, 225th and 125th respectively worldwide, in emerging economics it's ranked below 100 which is probably a prestige, and also ranked 111th in Asia by the ''
QS World University Rankings'' while its regional publications ranked QAU among 120 in Asia in 2013. The ''
Times Higher Education World University Rankings
The ''Times Higher Education World University Rankings'' (often referred to as the THE Rankings) is an annual publication of university rankings by the ''Times Higher Education'' (THE) magazine. The publisher had collaborated with Quacquarelli ...
'' ranked QAU between 401 and 500 globally and top 75 in Asia in its 2020 lists.
The university has intellectual interaction with international institutes, including the
United Nations
The United Nations (UN) is an intergovernmental organization whose stated purposes are to maintain international peace and security, develop friendly relations among nations, achieve international cooperation, and be a centre for harmonizi ...
,
University of Tokyo
, abbreviated as or UTokyo, is a public research university located in Bunkyō, Tokyo, Japan. Established in 1877, the university was the first Imperial University and is currently a Top Type university of the Top Global University Project by ...
and the
ICTP.
It is one of the most popular universities in the country and counts several public figures and intellectuals among its current and former faculty, researchers, or alumni since its establishment. They include
Maleeha Lodhi
Maleeha Lodhi ( ur, ; born 15 November 1952) is a Pakistani diplomat, political scientist, and a former Pakistan's Representative to the United Nations. She was the first woman to hold the position. Previously, she served as Pakistan's envo ...
,
Nasim Zehra
Nasim Zehra (Urdu:نسیم زہرہ) is a Pakistani journalist and writer who hosts a primetime current affairs talkshow on ''Channel 24''.
Education and career
Zehra studied business at the Quaid-e-Azam University, Pakistan and later studi ...
,
Shamshad Akhtar
Shamshad Akhtar is a Pakistani development economist, United Nations diplomat and banker who also served as the caretaker Finance Minister of Pakistan.
Prior to that, she served as the 14th Governor of the State Bank of Pakistan, the first w ...
,
Suhail Zubairy,
Abdul Rashid Ghazi
Abdul Rashid Ghazi ( ur, عبد الرشید غازی; – 10 July 2007) was a Pakistani Islamic fundamentalist who served as the vice-chancellor of Faridia University. Prior to his radicalisation, he served as a diplomat for UNESCO. He was ...
, Farzana Aslam,
Tasneem Zehra and
Salma Zahid
Salma Zahid is a Canadian politician, who was elected as a Member of Parliament in the House of Commons of Canada to represent the federal riding of Scarborough Centre during the 2015 Canadian federal election. She succeeded the Conservative Ro ...
. The university is currently led by Vice Chancellor Muhammad Ali.
History
The University of Islamabad was established on 22 July 1967 by the
Government of Pakistan. It was renamed as Quaid-i-Azam University in honor of
Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah
Muhammad Ali Jinnah (, ; born Mahomedali Jinnahbhai; 25 December 1876 – 11 September 1948) was a barrister, politician, and the founder of Pakistan. Jinnah served as the leader of the All-India Muslim League from 1913 until the ...
, founder of Pakistan in 1976 - which was the year of his birth
centenary
{{other uses, Centennial (disambiguation), Centenary (disambiguation)
A centennial, or centenary in British English, is a 100th anniversary or otherwise relates to a century, a period of 100 years.
Notable events
Notable centennial events at a ...
. However, the spelling of the university's name were kept different i.e. "i" was used instead of "e" for
Ezāfe
Ezāfe ( fa, اضافه, lit=extra), also romanized as ''ezâfe'', ''izafet'', ''izafe'', ''izafat'', ''izāfa'', ''ezafe'', and ''izofa'' ( tg, изофа, izofa), is a grammatical particle found in some Iranian languages, as well as Persian-inf ...
that links the two words in Jinnah's title Quaid-e-Azam.
The university offered teaching and research programs for
PhD and
MPhil
The Master of Philosophy (MPhil; Latin ' or ') is a postgraduate degree. In the United States, an MPhil typically includes a taught portion and a significant research portion, during which a thesis project is conducted under supervision. An MPhil ...
degrees in the beginning and later offered
Masters programs. The university now offers undergraduate programs as well.
Quaid-i-Azam University has four different faculties and 38 departments, institutes, schools and centers.
Faculties and departments
Quaid-i-Azam University consists of four faculties. The following departments, institutes/schools work under these faculties:
Faculty of Natural Sciences
* Department of
Chemistry
* Department of
Computer Science (Ranked 201st Worldwide)
* Department of
Earth Sciences
* Department of
Electronics
* Institute of
Information Technology (Ranked 201st Worldwide)
* Department of
Mathematics (Ranked 225th Worldwide)
* Department of
Physics (Ranked 225th Worldwide)
* Department of
Statistics
Faculty of Social Sciences
* School of Law
* Quaid-i-Azam School of Management Sciences (QASMS)
* Department of
Anthropology
Anthropology is the scientific study of humanity, concerned with human behavior, human biology, cultures, societies, and linguistics, in both the present and past, including past human species. Social anthropology studies patterns of behavi ...
* Department of Sociology
* Department of
Linguistics
* Department of Defence & Strategic Studies
* School of
Economics
* Department of
History
* School of Politics and International Relations (SPIR)
* Taxila institute of Asian civilizations
* Department of
Psychology
Department of Education
Faculty of Biological Sciences
* National Center for
Bioinformatics
Bioinformatics () is an interdisciplinary field that develops methods and software tools for understanding biological data, in particular when the data sets are large and complex. As an interdisciplinary field of science, bioinformatics combine ...
* Department of
Animal Sciences
Animal science is described as "studying the biology of animals that are under the control of humankind". It can also be described as the production and management of farm animals. Historically, the degree was called animal husbandry and the ...
* Department of
Biochemistry
Biochemistry or biological chemistry is the study of chemical processes within and relating to living organisms. A sub-discipline of both chemistry and biology, biochemistry may be divided into three fields: structural biology, enzymology and ...
* Department of
Microbiology
* Department of
Plant Sciences (Ranked 125th Worldwide)
* Department of
Environmental Sciences
* QAU School of
Medicine
* Department of
Pharmacy
* Department of
Biotechnology
Biotechnology is the integration of natural sciences and engineering sciences in order to achieve the application of organisms, cells, parts thereof and molecular analogues for products and services. The term ''biotechnology'' was first used by ...
Faculty of Medical Science
* Al-Shifa Eye Trust Hospital Rawalpindi
* Army Forces Post Graduate Medical Institute
*
Health Services Academy, Islamabad
* Federal Medical & Dental College
*
Quaid e Azam Postgraduate Medical College,
PIMS
Institutes
* National Institute of Historical and Cultural Research (NIHCR) Center for Excellence
* Saulat Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Drug Research
* Center of Excellence in Gender Studies
* National Institute of Psychology
* National Institute of
Pakistan Studies
* Area Study Centre for Africa, North and South America
; Chairs
* Quaid-i-Azam Chair
* Benzair Bhutto Chair
* Rumi Chair
Central library
The university has central library (CL), named as DR. Raziuddin Siddiqi memorial library situated at the centre of the university campus and having total covered area is approximately 102,500 sq. ft. On 6 February 1999, the Central Library (CL) was renamed the Dr. Raziuddin Siddiqi Mermorial (DRSM) Library in honour of Dr. Raziuddin Siddiqi's illustrious and meritorious achievements as the founding Vice Chancellor of Quaid-i-Azam University. University offers DRSM Library services for faculty and students of the university.
Rankings and reputation
Quaid-i-Azam University was ranked 363 in the world by the ''
QS World University Rankings'' of 2022-2023 and 91st in Asia.
[url=https://www.topuniversities.com/university-rankings/world-university-rankings/2022 , date= 10 August 2022]
In the 2010 edition of QS's Asian University Rankings for Natural Sciences, QAU ranked 46th.
According to the 2015 ranking of the
Higher Education Commission of Pakistan, Quaid-i-Azam University is ranked third in the general category.
Notable alumni and faculty
#
Abdul Rashid Ghazi
Abdul Rashid Ghazi ( ur, عبد الرشید غازی; – 10 July 2007) was a Pakistani Islamic fundamentalist who served as the vice-chancellor of Faridia University. Prior to his radicalisation, he served as a diplomat for UNESCO. He was ...
#
Aasim Sajjad Akhtar
#
Abrar ul Haq
#
Mian Muhammad Aslam Iqbal
#
Hamza Ali Abbasi
#
Ahmed Hassan Dani
Ahmad Hassan Dani (Urdu: احمد حسن دانی) FRAS, SI, HI (20 June 1920 – 26 January 2009) was a Pakistani archaeologist, historian, and linguist. He was among the foremost authorities on Central Asian and South Asian archaeology ...
#
Akbar S. Ahmed
#
Alamgir Hashmi
Alamgir Hashmi (Urdu: عالمگیر ہاشمی), also known as Aurangzeb Alamgir Hashmi (born 15 November 1951), is an English poet of Pakistani origin. Considered avant-garde, his early and later works were published to considerable critical ...
#
Ansar Pervaiz
Ansar Pervaiz, also spelled as (Ansar Parvez), HI, is a Pakistani scientist and a nuclear engineer who was the former chairman of the Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission (PAEC), and former chairman of the Board of Governors of International Atom ...
#
Arshad Sharif
Arshad Sharif ( ur, ; 22 February 1973 – 23 October 2022) was a Pakistani journalist, writer, and television news anchor. He specialised in investigative journalism and covered many political events in the country for national and internati ...
#
Asghar Qadir
#
Fayyazuddin
Fayyazuddin, also spelled as Fayyaz Uddin ( ur, فياض الدين born 10 November 1930), is a Pakistani theoretical physicist, emeritus professor, specialising in theoretical physics and mathematical physics at Quaid-e-Azam University campus ...
#
Ismat Beg
Ismat Beg, FPAS, FIMA, ( ur, عصمت بیگ; born January 1951) is a Pakistani mathematician and researcher. Beg is a senior Full Professor at the Lahore School of Economics, Higher Education Commission Distinguished National Professorhttp:// ...
#
Irshad Hussain
#
Hareem Farooq
Hareem Farooq ( ur, ; born 26 May 1992) is a Pakistani theatre, film and television actress and a film producer, known for her work in the serial ''Diyar-e-Dil'' and ''Pawnay 14 August''. She co-produced ''Janaan'' followed by her 2018 film '' ...
#
Ilhan Niaz
#
Khadija Mushtaq
Khadija Mushtaq is a Pakistani academic administrator and educator. She is the chancellor of Roots Ivy International University and chief executive officer of the Roots School System.
Education
Mushtaq completed a Master of Economics degree ...
#
Maliha Lodhi
#
Marriyum Aurangzeb
Marriyum Aurangzeb ( ur, ) is a Pakistani politician from Pakistan Muslim League (N) who is a member of the National Assembly. She is current federal minister of Information & Broadcasting in
Shehbaz Sharif ministry.
Aurangzeb served as the ...
#
Mazhar Mahmood Qurashi
#
Muhammad Sharif
#
Muhammad Suhail Zubairy
Muhammad Suhail Zubairy, HI, SI, FPAS (born 19 October 1952), is a University Distinguished Professor as of 2014 in the Department of Physics and Astronomy at the Texas A&M University and is the inaugural holder of the Munnerlyn-Heep Chair ...
#
Muhammad Imran Qadir
Muhammad Imran Qadir ( ur, ; born September 3, 1978), also known as M. I. Qadir, is a Pakistani pharmaceutical scientist.
Life and education
Qadir received his early education from Shujabad, Multan. He received his B.Pharm degree from Ba ...
#
Nasim Zehra
Nasim Zehra (Urdu:نسیم زہرہ) is a Pakistani journalist and writer who hosts a primetime current affairs talkshow on ''Channel 24''.
Education and career
Zehra studied business at the Quaid-e-Azam University, Pakistan and later studi ...
#
Nargis Sethi
Nargis Sethi ( ur, ) is a retired Pakistani civil service officer of the Pakistan Administrative Service who served in BPS-22 grade as the Cabinet Secretary of Pakistan and Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister of Pakistan. Other heavy ...
#
Nisar Ali Khan
#
Pervaiz Iqbal Cheema
Pervaiz Iqbal Cheema (1940 – 16 February 2019) was a Pakistani political scientist, cricketer, and a professor of International Relations and was last working as Dean, Faculty of Contemporary Studies, National Defence University, Islamabad - ...
Renowned academic Dr Pervaiz Iqbal Cheema passes away
The Express Tribune (newspaper), Published 16 February 2019, Retrieved 13 February 2020
# Pervez Hoodbhoy
# Qaiser Mushtaq
Qaiser Mushtaq (born 28 February 1954), ( D.Phil.(Oxon), ASA, KIA), is a Pakistani mathematician and academic who has made numerous contributions in the field of Group theory and Semigroup. He has been vice-chancellor of The Islamia University ...
# Qamar-uz-Zaman Chaudhry
Qamar-Uz-Zaman Chaudhry is a Pakistani climate scientist. He is a researcher in the fields of climate change, meteorology, atmospheric sciences, hydrology and seismology and has written over 50 articles in the fields of meteorology, atmospheric ...
# Rana Mubashir
# Zafarullah Khan
# Raziuddin Siddiqui
__NOTOC__
Muhammad Raziuddin Siddiqui (January 8, 1908 – January 8, 1998) was a Pakistan-born American physicist.
Biography Life and education
Siddiqui was born on 8 January 1908 in the Princely State of Hyderabad Deccan to Mohammed Muz ...
# Shamshad Akhtar
Shamshad Akhtar is a Pakistani development economist, United Nations diplomat and banker who also served as the caretaker Finance Minister of Pakistan.
Prior to that, she served as the 14th Governor of the State Bank of Pakistan, the first w ...
# Shireen Mazari
Shireen Mehrunnisa Mazari ( ur, ) is a Pakistani politician who served the Federal Minister for Human Rights, from 20 August 2018 to 10 April 2022. She is the chairperson of the Parliamentary Committee on Appointment of Chief Election Commi ...
# Tahir Amin
# Tasneem M. Shah[
# ]Zia Mian
Zia Mian (Urdu: ضياء میاں ) is a Pakistani-American physicist, nuclear expert, nuclear policy maker and research scientist at Princeton University.
Currently, he is the director of the Project on Peace and Security in South Asia, at ...
# Anis Ahmed
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Qadir_in_2019.jpg Muhammad Imran Qadir
Muhammad Imran Qadir ( ur, ; born September 3, 1978), also known as M. I. Qadir, is a Pakistani pharmaceutical scientist.
Life and education
Qadir received his early education from Shujabad, Multan. He received his B.Pharm degree from Ba ...
, Pakistani pharmaceutical scientist
A medication (also called medicament, medicine, pharmaceutical drug, medicinal drug or simply drug) is a drug used to diagnose, cure, treat, or prevent disease. Drug therapy (pharmacotherapy) is an important part of the medical field and r ...
File:Shamshad Akhtar - World Economic Forum on the Middle East 2010.jpg, Shamshad Akhtar
Shamshad Akhtar is a Pakistani development economist, United Nations diplomat and banker who also served as the caretaker Finance Minister of Pakistan.
Prior to that, she served as the 14th Governor of the State Bank of Pakistan, the first w ...
, served as the vice president of the World Bank.
File:NewestPic.jpg, Ismat Beg
Ismat Beg, FPAS, FIMA, ( ur, عصمت بیگ; born January 1951) is a Pakistani mathematician and researcher. Beg is a senior Full Professor at the Lahore School of Economics, Higher Education Commission Distinguished National Professorhttp:// ...
mathematician, known for his work on Multiple-criteria decision analysis, and fixed point (mathematics)
File:Maleeha Lodhi, Pakistan-US talks 2001.jpg, Dr. Maliha Lodhi, leading Pakistani diplomat.
File:Dr a qadir.JPG, Asghar Qadir, Pakistani mathematician and a prominent cosmologist
File:US Navy 090720-N-8053S-068 French Rear Adm. Alain Hinden, left, shakes hands with Pakistan Navy Rear Adm. Muhammad Zakaullah at the Combined Task Force (CTF) 150 change of command ceremony.jpg, Muhammad Zakaullah
Admiral Muhammad Zakaullah (Urdu: محمد ذكاءالله ; born 10 January 1958) is a retired admiral in the Pakistan Navy, who was the 15th Chief of Naval Staff of the Pakistan Navy. He was later replaced by Admiral Zafar Mahmood Abb ...
, former Chief of Naval Staff
File:Naelachohan1982.jpg, Naela Chohan, Pakistani diplomat and women rights activist
File:Sartaj Aziz (cropped).jpg, Sartaj Aziz
Sartaj Aziz ( ur, ; born 7 February 1929) is a Pakistani economist and a strategist, having previously served as the deputy chairman of the Planning Commission of Pakistan, member of the federal cabinet as the ''de facto'' Minister for Fore ...
, Pakistani economist and a strategist who serves as the Minister for Foreign Affairs
File:Abrar-ul-Haq 2014-05-10.jpg, Abrar-ul-Haq, Pakistani musician and politician
File:Khalid Wynne (close-up).jpg, General Khalid Shameem Wynne
General Khalid Shameem Wynne ( ur, ; 28 August 1953 – 30 December 2017), was a four-star General in the Pakistan Army who served as the 14th Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee appointed in 2010 until retiring on 8 October 2013. ...
, retired Pakistani four-star general officer
File:Nasim Zehera interviewing Mike Mullen in 2010 (cropped).jpg, Nasim Zehra
Nasim Zehra (Urdu:نسیم زہرہ) is a Pakistani journalist and writer who hosts a primetime current affairs talkshow on ''Channel 24''.
Education and career
Zehra studied business at the Quaid-e-Azam University, Pakistan and later studi ...
, leading journalist
File:Zahid headshot.jpg, Salma Zahid
Salma Zahid is a Canadian politician, who was elected as a Member of Parliament in the House of Commons of Canada to represent the federal riding of Scarborough Centre during the 2015 Canadian federal election. She succeeded the Conservative Ro ...
, as a Member of Parliament of Canada
File:Dr.Hussain.png, Irshad Hussain, a Pakistani chemist and manomaterials scientist
File:Ayesha Siddiqa (cropped).jpg, Ayesha Siddiqa
Ayesha Siddiqa
( ur, ), (born April 7, 1966), is a Pakistani political scientist, a political commentator and an author who serves as a research associate at the SOAS South Asia Institute. She previously served as the inaugural Pakistan Fellow ...
, a Pakistani military scientist
References
External links
Official website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Quaid-I-Azam University
Universities and colleges in Islamabad
Public universities and colleges in Pakistan
1967 establishments in Pakistan
Educational institutions established in 1967
Islamabad Capital Territory
Memorials to Muhammad Ali Jinnah