National University of Computer and Emerging Sciences

The National University of Computer and Emerging Sciences (Initials: NUCES) (Urdu: قومی جامعہ برائے کمپیوٹر و علومِ ظہوری سائنس), also commonly known as "Foundation for Advancement of Science and Technology" (FAST), (Urdu: دانش گاہِ اساسی برائے ارتقائے سائنس و علومِ فنون) is a private research university with multiple campuses in different cities of Pakistan.[1][2]

National University of Computer and Emerging Sciences
قومی جامعہ برائے کمپیوٹر و علومِ ظہوری سائنس
Former names
FAST Institute of Computer Science
Motto
الذی علم بالقلم۔ علم الانسان ما لم يعلم۔
Motto in English
[He] who has taught by the pen--has taught man that which he knew not. (Quran 96:4–5)
TypeNon-Profite Private
Established2000 (2000)
Parent institution
Foundation for Advancement of Science and Technology
(Established in 1980)
ChancellorWasim Sajjad
PresidentWasim Sajjad
RectorDr. Aftab Ahmed
DeanDr. Zohaib Iqbal
Students11,000
Location
Islamabad
,
Pakistan
CampusFaisalabad, Karachi, Lahore, Peshawar, Islamabad
ColoursBleu de France, amber
  
NicknameFAST–NU
NUCES
FAST
FAST-NUCES
NU
AffiliationsHigher Education Commission
Pakistan Engineering Council
Websitewww.nu.edu.pk
Karachi campus
Islamabad Campus

Overview

First multi-campus university of Pakistan, having five modern campuses based in different cities.[3] These campuses are located in Chiniot-Faisalabad, Islamabad, Karachi, Lahore and Peshawar, providing standard educational environment and recreational facilities to 11,000 students, out of which 500 are faculty members and a quarter is covered by female students. Founded as Federally Chartered University, it was inaugurated by President Pervez Musharraf in July 2000. It is consistently ranked among the leading institutions of higher education in the country and ranked top in computer sciences and information technology by the Higher Education Commission of Pakistan in 2020.[4] Its engineering programs are accredited with Pakistan Engineering Council.[5] In-collaboration with the Open Source Applications Foundation (OSAF), it also provides interest-free loans as financial aid to its students.

History

The Foundation of Advancement of Science and Technology was founded and established by Bank of Credit and Commerce International financier. Hasan Abidi, founder of BCCI, provided a large financial capital for the university to promote research in computer sciences and emerging technologies during 1980s.[3] Later this foundation established the National University of Computer and Emerging Sciences which was inaugurated by Former President and Chief of Army Staff General Pervez Musharraf in 2000.[3] It is privileged to be the first private sector university, having multiple campuses set up under the Federal Charter granted by Ordinance No.XXIII of 2000, dated July 01, 2000.

Established in 1980, the sponsoring body of FAST university was registered by Government of Pakistan as a charitable institution. FAST was a pioneer in Pakistan's IT sector development by offering the country's first undergraduate computer science curriculum, with its headquarters at Islamabad.

Campuses

FAST university is the first multi-campus university of Pakistan with their headquarters located in Islamabad and campuses at Karachi, Lahore, Islamabad, Peshawar and Faisalabad is one of the leading technical universities in Pakistan.

Islamabad Campus

FAST university Islamabad campus is located on A.K Brohi Road, H 11/4, Islamabad. It is the headquarter of university and offers Career Services Office which facilitate students and alumni for career development. Career Services Office arranges an array of activities such as career development workshops and seminars, career counselling camp, career boot camp, mock interviews, recruitment drives for internships & jobs and the annual job fair etc. Activities for alumni are organized such as alumni talks, alumni surveys and annual homecoming.

Karachi Campus

Karachi campus have two branches, main campus that is located on National highway and city campus located in block-6 PECHS. Students at Karachi campuses are facilitated with modern labs, cafeterias, libraries, sports and gym facilities, and transport facilities.

Lahore Campus

This campus is located in Faisal town, spread over 12.5 acres of land. Indoor and outdoor sporting facilities and playgrounds are available on campus for football, volleyball, badminton, cricket, basketball, lawn tennis, table tennis, and jogging. Swimming, rowing, and athletics have developed off-campus arrangements. There are completely air-conditioned purpose-built classrooms with teaching aids, as well as a number of computing and engineering laboratories, an Auditorium, Seminar Hall, Cafeteria, Boys & Girls Common Rooms, and offices of various student groups. The library of Lahore Campus is the second library in Pakistan with its library catalogue accessible through Library of Congress Gateway. It is a spacious computerized library with over 21,000 books and 57 international journals/ magazines, providing students and faculty access to diverse up-to-date information resources.

Chiniot-Faisalabad Campus

This is the 5th campus of university located on 22 acres of land on Faisalabad Chiniot Road (about 9 Km’s from Faisalabad Motorway interchange – towards Chiniot). The campus offers degree programs in Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, and Business Administration with professionally stimulated faculty at university. The Campus was built to continue on the academic traditions of excellence in the students' professional and personal lives with the goal to follow in the footsteps of the 4 other campuses' alumnae in Islamabad, Lahore, Karachi, and Peshawar.

Academic Profile

FAST university offers undergraduate, post-graduate and doctoral programs in business and sciences, at their campuses. The availability of bachelor programs depend on the campuses.

Undergraduate studies

The undergraduate courses are offered by university in different disciplines for bachelor's in sciences and business, leading to a bachelors degree.

Faculty of Computing

Dean: Dr. Jawwad Shamsi

Degrees offered:

  • BS (Artificial Intelligence)
  • BS (Computer Science)
  • BS (Cyber Security)
  • BS (Data Science)
  • BS (Software Engineering)

Faculty of Engineering

Dean: Dr. S.M Sajid

Degrees offered:

  • BS (Civil Engineering)
  • BS (Electrical Engineering)
  • BS (Internet of Things)
  • BS (Robotics)

Faculty of Management Sciences

Dean: Dr. M. Ayub Siddiqui

Degrees offered:

  • BBA (4 years)
  • BS (Accounting and Finance) (4 years)
  • BS (Business Analytics) (4 years)

Graduate studies

The university offers post graduate studies for different disciplines for master's in sciences and business, leading to a master's degree.

Faculty of Computing

Dean: Dr. Jawwad Shamsi

Degrees offered:

  • MS (Artificial intelligence}
  • MS (Computer Networks & Security
  • MS (Computer Science)
  • MS (Data Science)
  • MS (Software Engineering)
  • MS (Software Project Management)

Faculty of Engineering

Dean: Dr. S.M Sajid

Degrees offered:

  • MS (Civil Engineering)
  • MS (Electrical Engineering)

Faculty of Management Sciences

Dean: Dr. M. Ayub Siddiqui

Degrees offered:

  • MBA (4 years)
  • MS (Accounting and Finance) (2 years)
  • MS (Management Sciences) (2 years)

Faculty of Science & Humanities

Dean: Dr. Summaira Sarfraz

Degrees offered:

  • MS (Applied in linguistics)
  • MS (Mathematics)

Doctor of philosophy

Degrees offered:

  • PhD (Civil Engineering)
  • PhD (Computer Science)
  • PhD (Electrical Engineering)
  • PhD (Management Sciences)
  • PhD (Mathematics)
  • PhD (Software Engineering)

Notable alumni

Research Labs

FAST-National university encourages the growth of research in university. It has its research labs in four campuses, Islamabad, Lahore, Peshawar and Karachi.

Islamabad campus labs
  • Management Advancement Research Center - MARC
  • Software Quality Engineering and Testing (QUEST) Center
  • SEcure Networks and Distributed Systems (SENDS) Research Group
  • Software Engineering Research Center (SERC)
  • ReVeaL (Recognition, Vision and Learning) Research Group
  • Artificial Intelligence & Machine Leaning [AIM]
  • EPIC (Embedded Systems & Pervasive Computing) Lab

Lahore campus labs
  • Big Data Lab Establishment
  • Centre for Information Visualization and Intelligent Computing (Civic)
  • Multi-Media Lab (MML)
  • Centre for Research on Management and Governance (CRMG)
  • Software Engineering Research Centre (SERC)
  • Liberty Lab for Robotics

Peshawar campus labs
  • Decision Support Systems Group
  • NuSyS: National University Systems and Simulations Group
  • Center for Research in High Performance Reconfigurable Computing

Karachi campus labs
  • LLC Language Learning Centre
  • Centre for Research in Ubiquitous Computing
  • Management Science Research Centre
  • Systems Research Laboratory
  • The Machine Intelligence Group

References
  1. Accredited universities, institutions' list issued Dawn (newspaper), Published 14 February 2004, Retrieved 10 February 2020
  2. "Address and location of National University of Computer and Emerging Sciences". Google Maps website. Retrieved 10 February 2020.
  3. University Overview of National University of Computer and Emerging Sciences on UniRank website (University Rankings by an international website) Retrieved 10 February 2020
  4. "A Government-recognized university (HEC Listings)". Higher Education Commission (Pakistan) website. Archived from the original on 13 November 2013. Retrieved 10 February 2020.
  5. "Accredited Engineering Programmes in Pakistan(First Schedule)". Pakistan Engineering Council website. Retrieved 10 February 2020.
  6. "Farhan Saeed | Tv.com.pk". tv.com.pk. Retrieved 1 April 2021.
  7. IT pioneer in Pakistan, FAST eyes more programmes in future The News International (newspaper), Published 21 May 2014, Retrieved 10 February 2020
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