Pir Mehr Ali Shah Arid Agriculture University, Rawalpindi is in Rawalpindi, Punjab, Pakistan. It is named after Pir Meher Ali Shah, a known Hanafi scholar leading the anti-Ahmadiyya movement. The university is ranked at No. 2 in Agriculture/Veterinary category as per the HEC and 7th overall in ranking of universities in Pakistan. Arid Agriculture University offers degree programmes leading to Bachelor, Master and Ph.D. in disciplines including Food Science & Technology, Computer Sciences, Management Sciences, Pure Sciences, Agriculture, Veterinary & Animal Sciences, Social Sciences and other Arts and Fine Arts programs.
History
In the 1970s, the government of Punjab established an agricultural college in Rawalpindi for the development of rain-fed agriculture. The college was upgraded to the level of university in 1994. The Pir Mehr Ali Shah Arid Agriculture University was named after ChishtiSufi saint Pir Mehr Ali Shah.
Academics
AAUR teaches courses in four faculties, one division and two institutes :
University Institute of Biochemistry & Biotechnology
Faculty of Agriculture Engineering
institute of geo-informatics and earth observation
Faculty of Crop and Food Science
This is the major faculty. It is responsible for teaching in disciplines of agriculture and conducting research on all aspects of crop production at undergraduate and postgraduate levels. It offers four-year courses leading to the degree of B.Sc. Agriculture specializing in ten disciplines including Agric. Economics, Agric. Extension & Communication, Agronomy, Entomology, Food Technology, Forestry and Range Management, Horticulture, Plant Breeding & Genetics, Plant Pathology & Soil Science and Soil Water Conservation. Two-year courses lead to M.Sc. Agriculture in Agric. Extension & Communication, Agronomy, Entomology, Food Technology, Horticulture, Plant Breeding & Genetics, Plant Pathology & Soil Science and Soil Water Conservation. Ph.D. programmes in the disciplines of Agronomy, Entomology, Food Technology, Horticulture, Plant Breeding & Genetics, Plant Pathology & Soil Science and Soil Water Conservation are offered.
Faculty of Sciences
The faculty consists of departments dealing with Statistics and Mathematics, Social and Biological Sciences. It offers undergraduate courses leading to the degrees of BS in Biochemistry and Economics and postgraduate courses leading to the degrees of M.Sc. in Agricultural Economics, M.Sc. in Statistics and Mathematics, Social and Biological Sciences, M. Phil and Ph.D. in Biological Sciences and Economics/Agri. Economics. There are eight departments under this faculty. There are well-equipped laboratories for research. Many Ph.D. students are doing research in the science. Research papers are published annually.
Faculty of Agricultural Engineering and Technology
The faculty consist of abdulqadeer of Department of Remote Sensing and GIS, Department of Structural and Environmental Engineering, Department of Farm Machinery and Power, Department of Land and Water Conservation Engineering, Department of Horticulture Engineering, Department of Energy System Engg.
Faculty of Veterinary & Animal Sciences
The faculty offers the following degree/diploma programmes
M.Phil and Ph.D. programmes in all disciplines of Veterinary and Animal Sciences
Livestock Assistant Diploma two-year programme at Sub-Campus Khushab
Faculty of Forestry, Range Management and Wildlife
This faculty offers undergraduate and postgraduate degree programmes in Forestry & Range Management, Wildlife Management & Environmental Sciences.
University Institute of Management Sciences
University Institute of Management Sciences is a constituent institute of the Pir Mehr Ali Shah Arid Agriculture University, Rawalpindi, a public sector university. UIMS was established in 1996 with the inception of MBA programs and the first intake of 50 students. Over the years UIMS has added several new programs to its portfolio. Today it is the most diverse business school of the country with the current enrollment of about 850 students in BBA, MBA 3.5 years, MBA, MBA & MS and Master’s in Development Management. Thousands of the graduates of UIMS are serving the nation and making a great impact socially and economically. The institute offers undergraduate and postgraduate degree courses leading to BBA, MBA-Agribusiness; Master’s in Development Management, MBA with specialization in Marketing, HRM, Finance, MBA & MS with specialization in Marketing, HRM, Finance.
University Institute of Information Technology
Keeping in view the importance of Computer Science & Information Technology the university has established University Institute of Information Technology. UIIT offers BS, BS, BS, MCS, MIT, PGD and PGD. Furthermore, an honors program at MS level is offered subject to eligibility.
Throughout the academic year, the Institute of Education and Research runs part-time, open studies programs/courses in which any person can enroll. The short courses include propagation and maintenance of indoor plants, preservation and processing of food products, drafting, cutting and sewing, flower making and arrangement, stained glass painting and spoken English. IER has initiated computer training programs especially for the women of the area. The institute is working for the uplift and empowerment of women in particular. The Institute of Education and Research offers DIT.
Collaboration
Collaborative research and teaching programs are being developed with these institutions for better teaching and research facilities for the students. The university has signed MoUs with Pakistan Agricultural Research Council, Islamabad; Agricultural University of Hebei, university of agriculture Faisalabad, China; International Centre for Agricultural Research in Dry land Areas, Syria and Federal Seed Certification and Registration Department to assist each other in teaching, research and extension activities.
Quality Enhancement Cell
The Quality Enhancement Cell has been established at the university with the objective of significant enhancement of quality in higher learning and international compatibility. The major functions of QEC are to:
review quality standards and the quality of teaching and learning in each subject area.
promote public confidence that the quality and standards of the award of degrees are enhanced and safeguarded.
define lucid and explicit standards as points of reference to the reviews to be carried out. It should also help the employees to know as to what they could expect from candidates.
develop qualifications framework by setting out the attributes that can be expected from the holder of qualification.
develop quality assurance processes and methods of evaluation to affirm that the quality of provision and the standard of awards are being maintained and to foster curriculum, subject and staff development.
develop procedures for approval of new programs, monitoring and evaluation, departmental review, student feedback, employer feedback, quality assurance of various degree programs, subject review, and qualification framework.
Housing
The PMAS-AAUR has residential facilities on campus. Housing and food services are available to about 40% of the student population. Residential facilities and related food services are normally organized and administered by students with guidance from the administration. Students intending to live on campus have to apply. However, allocation of rooms in dormitories is made on the basis of space available and on merit basis.
Barani Institute of Information Technology was established at the University of Arid Agriculture and is located at Umair Plaza, 6th Road, Rawalpindi. The institute operates on a self-financed scheme and was established as a partnership venture between the University of Arid Agriculture and M/S Resource Organizers and Software Engineers International. It is private and was established in 1998. Dr. Mohammad Jamil Sawar is the director.
Barani Institute of Management Sciences
Barani Institute of Management Sciences was established at the University of Arid Agriculture and is at Malikabad Plaza, 6th Road, Rawalpindi. The institute operates on a self-financed scheme and was established as a partnership venture between the University of Arid Agriculture and M/S BIMS. It is private and was established in 2013. Dr. Hafeez-ur-Rahman is the director.
Barani Institute of Sciences
was established in 2014. It has campuses in Sahiwal and Burewala which are affiliated with Pir Mehr Ali Shah Arid Agriculture University, Rawalpindi.
