University of Engineering and Technology, Taxila

History

With the increase in student enrollment in the 1970s, additional campuses of the University of Engineering and Technology, Lahore were built, including the University College of Engineering, Taxila, in 1975. For three years it functioned at Sahiwal. In 1978, it was shifted to its permanent location at Taxila. The college continued under the administrative control of the University of Engineering and Technology, Lahore until October 199,3 when it received its charter as an independent university under the University of Engineering and Technology Taxila Ordinance of 1993. Enrollment of undergraduate and postgraduate students is about 3000.

The computer, software and telecommunication programmes have been offered since 2001, 2002 and 2007 respectively. The Computer Department and the library have just been completed. Four hostels, including separate a girls' hostel, have been built. The electrical and mechanical blocks have been extended, and an electronics program was launched in 2010. Additional expansion includes a foreign faculty house, Ali hall, vice chancellor's house, extensions of the academic blocks, construction of central mosque, abubakkar Hall, a cafeteria, stands for the sports stadium, and a multi purpose hall.

Location

The university campus is located on the outskirts of Taxila, 5 km (3.1 mi) from the city. It is situated near the railway station Mohra Shah Wali Shah on the Taxila-Havelian branch line. The city of Taxila is 35 km (22 mi) from the twin cities of Islamabad and Rawalpindi and 6 km (3.7 mi) from the Rawalpindi–Peshawar highway. The university buses commute daily between the campus and the cities of Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Wah and Hasan Abdal. The campus covers an area of 109 acres (0.44 km²) and houses the teaching departments, residential colony for teachers and employees, students' hostels, guest house, post office, dispensary and bank.

Campuses

The first campus of UET Taxila at Chakwal opened in 2005, almost thirty years after the establishment of the main campus. A second campus is planned in Pind Dadan Khan, Jhelum District.

Affiliated institutes

Institutes affiliated with the University are:

Central Library

The Central Library UET Taxila has launched its newly developed, web-based, library automation system, named UET LIBAS. The Central Library has a seating capacity for 100 readers. The reading halls remain open from 8:00 am to 7:00 pm on all working days, with a break for Jumma prayer from noon to 2:30 pm. The library has 40000 volumes of books, and 45000 volumes of bound serials. Besides engineering subjects, there is material on humanities, social sciences and Islamic Studies. The library houses a Book Bank, which lends textbooks to undergraduates for long periods on a nominal rent. Books which are in excess of the requirements of the Book Bank, are sold to the students on a no-profit no-loss basis through its Co-operative Bookstore.

Digital Library

UET Taxila belongs to the Pakistan Educational Research Network (PERN) which connects universities and research institutes in Pakistan through the internet. The Higher Education Commission of Pakistan (HEC) has given online access to journals and research papers through PERN, so that they will have digital access to quality research materials. Access to all of these resources is free for students and researchers within the UET Taxila intranet.

Taxila Institute of Transportation, Engineering

The Taxila Institute of Transportation Engineering (TITE) was established by the Department of Electrical Engineering to develop innovative methods, materials, and technologies for improving transportation efficiency, safety, and reliability. TITE has launched short courses called Highway Material Engineer and Highway Material Technician, for highway engineers, material engineers and laboratory technicians. These courses are designed to increase the competency of these professions.

Admissions

After completion of higher secondary school level (HSSC) education, students can submit an application for undergraduate admission if they fulfill the minimum requirements. Students with a minimum percentage (60%) in HSSC exams with core subjects of Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry and English are allowed to take the admission test organized by UET and other institutions, often called the Engineering University and College Admission Test (EUCAT).

After the admission test, merit lists are prepared to allow students with good results in both HSSC and EUCAT to get the opportunity to continue their studies. For admission to M.S. and Ph. D. program,s candidates must undergo an interview and/or take a written test. There are some positions reserved for foreign students in the undergraduate level, and students from areas other than Punjab. The qualification for admission is HSSC or GCE A level, or its equivalent, with good grades in mathematics, physics and chemistry.

Profile of the University faculties

UET Taxila offers Bachelor's and master's degrees in several disciplines under the following faculties:

Faculty of Electronic and Electrical Engineering

Faculty of Mechanical and Aeronautical Engineering

The Department of Mechanical Engineering is situated on the main campus at Taxila, and is equipped with state-of-the-art laboratory facilities. The department has its strengths in thermal-fluid sciences and manufacturing engineering. Research work carried out at the graduate level in the form of MS and PhD programs. Moreover, the faculty routinely involves undergraduate students in research work. The Department also has advanced computer systems which can be used for computational fluid dynamics or computational mechanics research.

Faculty of Telecommunication and Information Engineering

Faculty of Environmental Engineering

This Department, newly established in 2010, has been recognised by the HEC & the Pakistan Engineering Council (PEC).

Faculty of Industrial Engineering

Faculty of Basic Sciences and Humanities

The Department of Basic Sciences was established in 1975 as a part of the University College of Engineering, Taxila, and is as old as the institution itself. When the university became independent in 1993, the department was placed under the Faculty of Basic Sciences and Humanities.

The department offers courses in mathematics, physics, chemistry, economics, statistics, Islamic studies, Pakistan studies, ethics and English. Mathematics is an essential prerequisite for the understanding of any area of engineering and physical sciences. Therefore, all degree programs offered by the different engineering departments offer courses in applied mathematics, statistics and numerical analysis.

The courses offered in applied physics and chemistry for the base of further engineering courses, and the practical work in these subjects supports later engineering practical work. The Physics and Chemistry curriculum is designed to meet the prerequisites of the engineering subjects. The contents of the courses are regularly revised to keep abreast of progress in the various engineering faculties.

Islamic studies are taught to Muslim students of all engineering faculties. The purpose of these courses is to enlighten the soul and mind of the students, and enable them to learn the tenets of Islam so that they may perform their future duties with integrity and diligence. Non-Muslim students are offered courses in ethics.

In 1982, the Government of Pakistan also emphasized the need to teach the subject of Pakistan studies to students at all degree levels. The main purpose of this subject is to acquaint students with the ideology of Pakistan.

Proficiency in English language is required to compete in the modern world, so courses are offered in different departments to enhance students' English language skills for professional purposes. These studies include facial expression, visual literacy, anxiety management verbal skills, body language, and document presentation. Technical report writing is also included in these courses to enhance students' ability to write well in their professional lives. A language lab is planned so that students can practice listening and speaking skills. In addition, the department is planning English courses in the summers, especially IELTS and TOFEL, for University students who want to go abroad for higher studies.

Network Administration and Research Center (NARC)

NARC provides and maintains the internet on campus and connects the Chakwal campus to the main campus. NARC is CISCO Networking Academy.

The main services provided by NARC are:

Video and Image Processing Laboratory

This laboratory was established, with funding by HEC, to facilitate research in the area of image and video processing.

Center of Excellence for ASIC Design and DSP

The Center of Excellence for ASIC (application-specific integrated circuit) Design and DSP (digital signal processor) is equipped with more than US$7,000,000 in software tools for chip design, simulation, and PCB (printed circuit board) design. The center provides design and research facilities to Ph.D., M.Sc and undergrad students. Workshops and training courses are available.

Sports

A student common room is provided in each of the hostels with facilities for indoor games such as basketball, shooting ball, squash, table tennis, badminton and carrum. Outdoor games include cricket, hockey, volleyball and football. Other sports available are boxing, karate, athletics and bodybuilding.

The university holds a Sports Gala Week every year. Other student sports events are held every year, and the department of software engineering also conducts an annual cricket tournament.

Student societies

Engineering and non-technical societies on the university campus include:

The students are popularly referred to as a TAXILIANS or UETians.

Alumni Association

The Alumni Association of UET Taxila is a link between UET Taxila graduates and the University. The Alumni Association's mission is "to encourage, in partnership with the University, a lifelong relationship between alumni association and their university". The Association, a separate society being established under the Society Act, makes its home at the UET Taxila campus.

Health Facilities

The university provides medical facilities to its employees and students. The dispensary helps students with their physical health problems with doctors available around the clock. Students are provided free consultations by the medical officer, medicines are issued to students free of charge. A night dispensary service is available in emergencies with free ambulance service, in case of acute emergency.

Transport

A transport service is provided for students, with buses traveling between Rawalpindi, Islamabad, Hassan Abdal, Wah Cantt and the campus. The University has a fleet of 22 buses.

Campus network

All departments and hostels are networked on 100 Mbit/s Ethernet, and connected through a fiber link. The outdoor areas are covered by Wifi at 54 Mbit/s. The campus connects to the Internet through a high-speed link provided by the Pakistan Telecommunication Company. The university uses the HEC digital library program and connects to the Scopus network for its e-library requirements.

Hostels

The university campus has the following hostels:

Central mosque

There is a central mosque, Jamia,also known as Masjid Bilal, that has a capacity for 700 worshippers. In addition, there are many small mosques throughout the campus.

Ranking

The University of Engineering and Technology, Taxila was ranked 5th by the HEC in 2012. It is ranked second among public sector universities.