University Engineering and Technology

Lahore- Pakistan

History

UET Lahore is the oldest Pakistani teaching institute for pure engineering sciences and received its charter as a University in the year 1961. It has a much longer history as a distinguished seat of learning in the engineering field. It started its career in 1921 as theMughalpuraTechnicalCollege, deriving its name from the famous suburb of the old city ofLahore, richly dotted with architectural heritage of the great Mughals including the magnificent Shalimar Gardens. Its more familiar name of the pre-University era, the Maclagan Engineering College, was given to it in 1923 when Sir Edwards Maclagan, the then Governor of the Punjab, laid the foundation stone of the building, now called the Main Block, which still retains its majesty in spite of the wear and tear of over eight decades.

At that stage the institution offered courses of study in two disciplines, namely Electrical and Mechanical Engineering. These courses, though known for their excellence, did not lead to a University degree. The year 1932 is a major milestone in the evolution of this institution when it was affiliated with the University of the Punjab for award of a Bachelor's Degree in Engineering. At the dawn of Independence in 1947, it had well-established B.Sc. Degree courses in civil, electrical and mechanical engineering, and the quality of its scholastic standards won it a place of prestige throughout British India.

In 1954 it started a Bachelors Degree course in Mining Engineering, the first-ever of its kind in the country. But its massive expansion and development commenced in 1961 on its transformation into a University. It set for itself a variety of goals, but the first priority was to start teaching those disciplines which were crucial for national development but were not catered for by any institution in the country. Accordingly, in the sixties, bachelor degree courses were started in Chemical Engineering, Petroleum and Gas Engineering, Metallurgical Engineering, Architecture and City & Regional Planning. Later, the University concentrated its energies and resources on developing its post graduate programs.

By the 1970's, it had established over a score of masters degree courses in diverse specializations of engineering, architecture, planning and allied disciplines. The Ph.D. Degree Program was also instituted in a number of disciplines. The process of consolidating and strengthening them continues to be a major concern of the university. With a phenomenal increase in the student enrollment in the seventies, a plan to establish additional university campuses was conceived.

As a result, the University College of Engineering, Taxila was established in 1975. For three years it functioned at Sahiwal in a borrowed premises and was shifted to its campus at Taxila in 1978. This college has now been upgraded to University of Engineering and Technology, Taxila.

In 1998, a specialized research centre was established with the aid of a government grant. This centre is leading the way towards creating a conducive environment for research. The centre also acts as a source of liaison with the industry to provide them with technical consultancy and solutions which can help them improve their business and production efficiency. In 2002, the Khawarizmi Institute of Computer Science (KICS) was established as a specialized centre for applied research in computer science, data communication, embedded control systems, and digital systems.

Departments

Engineering itself is no small topic. There was a time when engineers were thought to be people working on buildings with a hammer and saw, and then those who worked on large machines wearing overalls with their hands and faces covered with oil, that perception has changed drastically in the modern world.

An engineer today is a collection of scientific knowledge and practical experience which come together in the shape of a person who can be considered an expert in his/her selected field, be it mining or computer science. It is still the noble profession which grants humanity the ability to create monuments to itself like the towering structures of the Parthenon or the modern advances in nanotechnology. Each discipline has a calling and a charm of its own which is reflected in the dedication and creativity of the members of the particular department.

Although rivalries may be present between engineers who because of natural egos consider themselves superior to others, there is a unifying bond which is brought about by the educational environment and the logical mind which is a natural result of the study of engineering. The departments listed on the left will allow you to see what particular facets a certain field of engineering offers.

Faculties:

Architecture

The Department of Architecture was established in 1962. It has the distinction of being the first in the country to offer a Bachelor's degree in Architecture and now it has started a new course "Architectural Engineering" from 2001. The course is again first of its kind in the country. The department thus, has been the fundamental contributor towards the founding and establishment of the profession of Architecture in Pakistan and of maintaining its leading role in Architecture Education.

Chemical

The department was established in 1962 and is the first in the country to institute Bachelor's, Master's and Doctoral degree course in Chemical Engineering. Since 2002,  a Bachelor’s degree course in Polymer Engineering has been initiated.

Chemistry

The City and Regional Planning Department established in 1962, holds the distinction of being the pioneer institution in Pakistan offering formal degree programs in City & Regional Planning.

City Planning

Established in 1962 the department has the distinction of being one of its kind in the country offering higher degree programs in City & Regional Planning and Urban Environment & Transportation Engineering. These disciplines are of crucial importance to developing countries like Pakistan.

Civil

The department was established in 1939 as a part of theMaclaganEngineeringCollege, Lahore. Currently it has a total enrollment of about 1000 students. The department has the following divisions to conduct its teaching and research programs:

i) Structural Engineering
ii) Soil Mechanics & Foundation Engineering
iii) Hydraulics & Irrigation Engineering

Computer Science

The Department of Computer Science, established as a separate department in 1991, is one of the most prominent and oldest centre of computer education in the country.

Electrical

The department was established in 1923 as a part of the Maclagan Engineering College.

The Masters Degree courses are aimed at bringing the students abreast with the most recent developments in their fields of specialization.

Environmental

The institute was established asInstitute ofPublic Health Engineering and Research in the year 1972 as a consequence of the ever increasing awareness of the importance of environmental/public health engineering. However a beginning in Public Health Engineering studies was made earlier in 1961 when a post-graduate diploma course in the discipline was initiated in 1961, and was upgraded to the Masters level in 1962.

Humanities

The general objective of the courses in the Department of Humanities and Social Sciences is to offset the narrowness of perception and outlook that results from early specialization in a technical field. The department offers courses in such discipline as Sociology, Industrial and Engineering Economics, Project Management and Economics for planners.

Islamic Studies

The engineering curricula in the university are supplemented with courses in Islamic Studies. These are meant to appraise the students of the cultural, political, economic and other aspects of Islamic Ideology, to make them realize the richness of Islamic heritage and enable them to understand Islam.

Mathematics

Most of the degree programs offered by different departments of the university have courses in Applied Mathematics and Statistics as an integral part of their curricula.

Mechanical

The Department of Mechanical Engineering has the distinction of being one of the two oldest departments since the time of the Maclagan Engineering College established in 1923. The Bachelors degree program has been the main course of study offered by the department, which is still an on going and well established program.

Metallurgical

The department was established in the year 1965 and has come a long way since then in developing its faculty and facilities. Its total enrollment of students at present is about 200. The department has a highly qualified faculty.

Mining

The department was established in 1954, and has the distinction of being the first in the country to offer a formal degree course in Mining Engineering. At present the total enrollment of students is about 150. Starting session 2001, the department is offering another degree program in Geological Engineering. The first two years of study shall be common for both Mining and Geological Engineering.

Petroleum

A Bachelors Degree course in Petroleum and Gas Engineering was first instituted in this university in the year 1969, under the aegis of the Department of Mining Engineering. The importance of the discipline for the national economy, however demanded upgradation of the facilities. Accordingly, a full-fledged department of Petroleum Engineering was established in the year 1975.

Physics

The Department was established in 1962.

Library

The National Library of Engineering Sciences is the central library for the university with a seating capacity for 400 readers and boasting more than 125,000 volumes and 60,000 issues of scientific and technical serials.