FATA University

FATA University

Type	Public
Established	2016
Chancellor	Governor of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
Vice-Chancellor	Mohammad Tahir Shah[1]
Location	Akhurwal, Darra Adam Khel, FR Kohat, Federally Administered Tribal Areas, Pakistan
Website	www.fu.edu.pk

FATA University (Urdu: فاٹا یونیورسٹی‎; Pashto: فاټا پوهنتون‎) is a public sector university situated in Akhurwal, Darra Adam Khel, FR Kohat, in Pakistan's Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA).^[2] The university is run by the Ministry of SAFRON.

The university was approved by Pakistan's caretaker Prime Minister Mir Hazar Khan Khoso in May 2013.^[3] It is the first-ever university in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas, and plans to establish sub-campuses in Bajaur, Kurram, and Waziristan.^[4]

Overview

The establishment of an institution of higher learning in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) remained the long-standing demand of the people of this region. The plan for setting up the FATA University of international standard in FATA was finally conceived when the former Prime Minister of Pakistan, Mr. Yousaf Raza Gillani, had announced its establishment during a meeting with MNAs from FATA on January 16, 2009. However, the project was delayed due to many reason until the former President, Mr. Asif Ali Zardari, had approved the FATA University Regulations in May 2013. Afterwards, Government of Pakistan has included a project titled “Establishment of FATA University” in PSDP (HEC) 2015-16 at an estimated cost of Rs.4.7 billion with the allocation of Rs.250.00 million for the FY 2015-16. The completion of full-fledged university will be completed in various phases in future. The FATA Secretariat, Peshawar in consultation with the parliamentarians of FATA, has purchased land measuring 266 kanals at Akhurwal, Darra Adam Khel, FR Kohat through a development project approved by FDWP. The purchase of land of 200 kanals adjacent to the already purchased land is under negotiation with the land owners.

A project titled “Establishment of Project Management Unit (PMU) for FATA University” has been approved by FDWP at a capital cost of Rs.31.488 million in its meeting held on 28.02.2015. Later on, a revised PC-1 with a capital cost of Rs. 40.008 million was approved by FDWP in its meeting held on February 23, 2016. The PMU will be established in the Government Degree College (Akhurwal) Darra Adem Khel which will be responsible for the infrastructure development of the university.

The FATA Secretariat and Ministry of SAFRON started the process of appointment of the Vice Chancellor. In this regard, the FATA Secretariat announced post of Vice Chancellor/Project Director of the proposed University on 17.07.2015. The selection of Vice Chancellor through Search Committee was completed and in this connection the appointment of the 1st Vice Chancellor was completed via Notification No. PS/E/100-96 (Vol-10) / 412-24, dated 13-01-2016. In this regard, Prof. Dr. Mohammad Tahir Shah assumed the charge of Vice Chancellor of FATA University on January 18, 2016. Soon after assuming the charge of the Vice Chancellor, Dr. Shah started work on preparing the Project PC-1 scheme worth of Rs. 1592.733 million for the 1st phase which has already been approved by CDWP.

Future Plan

The infrastructure of the FATA University and the Administrative and Academic requirements in more than six faculties as per FATA University Regulations 2013 will be completed in different phases. In the first phase a limited infrastructure and Academic programs will be completed within 5 years with the estimated cost of about Rs. 1.6 billion under the present PC-1 scheme. However, the completion of Academic Programs under the FATA University Regulations 2013, will take place under different phases in future with the estimated cost of more than 4.7 billion.

Under the approved PC-1 Scheme, the following activities will be accomplished during the next 5 years:

• Establishment of Academic, Administrative, Residential and Common facilities at a covered area of 240,225 square feet.
• 20 foreign Ph.D. scholarships will be given to newly appointed faculty for completing their higher studies from the technologically advanced countries.
• Purchase of teaching lab equipments, chemicals, consumables and furniture fixture etc. for Computer Science & IT, Earth Sciences, Electronics and Chemistry laboratories.
• Hiring of faculty and staff for smooth running of the affairs of the university.
• Purchase of the vehicles for official transportation.
• Purchase of Land (266 kanal already purchased and 200 kanal land is in process to be purchased).
• The three post-graduate colleges in Khar (Bajour Agency), Miran Shah (North Waziristan Agency) and Parachinar (Kuram Agency) will be up-graded to Sub-Campuses of the FATA University in near future. In this regard the FATA University will bring an educational revolution in the FATA region very soon.

It is envisaged that initially the hiring of faculty and staff and admission in undergraduate BS (four years) program in four subjects (i.e., Management Sciences, Mathematics, Sociology and Political Science) will be started in summer vocations and the regular session will start in September 2016 under semester system.

See also

• University of Peshawar
• Universities in Pakistan

References