Quaid-i-Azam University Islamabad is the biggest university of Pakistan followed by the Punjab University and COMSATS Institute of Information Technolgy. It is currently at the top of rankings in best university of Pakistan international rankings. Quaid-i-Azam University has more than 20 affiliated universities and colleges in Pakistan, mostly in Islamabad and Pindi, that includes Medical colleges, colleges of technical and natural sciences, and arts subjects. Quaid-i-Azam University is one of the few South Asian universities to affiliate with Cambridge and Oxford with a students’ exchange program at the national level. Currently, around 5,500 students are enrolled in QAU. The university has educational and professional links with the universities of North and South America, UNESCO, IRSIP, Agencia Espanola de Cooperacion International of Spain, and Heidelberg.
Quaid-i-Azam University was built and sponsored by the government of Pakistan; it is the largest public university in Pakistan. A parliament bill was passed to set up the university in 1967 for Ph.D. and masters programs. There is no special quota for any province, as a federal body. All the students from the provinces of Pakistan, as well as the independent state of Kashmir and FATA, are welcomed on open merit. As of 2016-2017, QAU Islamabad is offering admissions in doctorate, graduate & undergraduate courses, short-term and long-term diplomas and technical education courses. The university has extensive and fully-funded faculty training programs abroad and in the country.
Campus Facilities:
The campus is located on the outskirts of Islamabad on a huge area. The area allotted to Quaid-i-Azam University Islamabad si 1700 acres, out of which there are ten hostels in total, three are for females, and seven are for male students and faculty. The university campus consists of 19 buildings for several departments in postgraduate and undergraduate sciences. One separate building for administration is situated inside the campus with a separate building allocated for a library that features hundreds of thousands of Books; the library is the largest on-campus Library of Pakistan.
There is every facility available inside the university premises, the gymnasiums, sports grounds including hockey, cricket, football grounds, indoor and outdoor tennis and badminton courts, botanical gardens, auditoriums, some canteens, café, and shops, a utility store and a bank facility is available inside the campus.
The University is an independent degree awarding institute of Pakistan; the status was gained by University few years after it became functional. Also, Quaid-i-Azam University has arts and cultural societies, fitness clubs, and annual festivals and functions for the students as part of scheduled extracurricular activities.
Affiliated Medical Colleges with Quaid-i-Azam University Islamabad:
Quaid-i-Azam University Islamabad is a primary degree awarding body for many medical colleges of Pakistan. Here are few of the colleges affiliated with QAU Islamabad.
Armed Forces Post Graduate Medical Institute (AFPGMI):
The postgraduate medical college is an esteemed medical college training doctors at masters and doctorate level. The institute especially awards the degrees to serving army medical officers having a permanent commission is Pakistan armed forces. The degrees awarded by AFPGMI are:
- (Medical Administration)
- MPhil Pharmacology
- MPhil Anatomy
- MPhil Biochemistry
- PhD-Pathology
All the degrees are awarded under the esteemed stamp of Quaid-i-Azam University Islamabad.
Health Services Academy:
HSA was established in 1988; it awarded shortcourses and diplomas at the initial stages. Later upgraded to university level, Health Services Academy offers diplomas and full fledge postgraduate degrees at MS and Ph.D. Level. The Health Services Academy offers its diplomas in advanced courses Medical Entomology and Disease Vector Control, MSc. in MSPH, in both morning and evening shifts, EMSPH, HEM, and MSFE. Master level degree in MEDVC and doctorate in Public Health are part of the affiliated courses offered at HSA.
Pakistan Institute of Ophthalmology Rawalpindi:
Pakistan Institute of Ophthalmology, Rawalpindi is an advanced and internationally acclaimed research institute of Pakistan and a model institute in Pakistan for postgraduate training. Its QAU recognized postgraduate courses include:
FCPS, a 4-year program in advanced medical and surgical sciences. The applicant must have a recognized degree of MBBS from any PMDC recognized university to be eligible for admission.
A 2-year DOMS degree is one of the most enrolled programs at Pakistan Institute of Ophthalmology Rawalpindi. There are several short-term diplomas and technical courses for physicians and surgeons at PIO.
Shifa College of Medicine Islamabad:
Shifa Medical College is an undergraduate degree awarding institute that is fully affiliated with Quaid-i-Azam University Islamabad for its undergraduate, postgraduate, Allied health sciences and nursing sciences degrees. The postgraduate courses offered at Shifa College of Medicine are MPhill and Ph.D. in Medical Sciences.
Federal Medical and Dental College:
QAU accredits FMDC as their sister institute for MBBS and BDS. All the degrees taught in Federal Medical and Dental College are awarded under the name of Quaid-i-Azam University Islamabad.
Federal Government Services Hospital Islamabad:
Federal Hospital is a public hospital and medical college that is affiliated with Quaid-i-Azam University Islamabad for its degree awarding system. The course it offers is MD in medicines and pediatrics, in cardiology and neurology.
The masters programs are General Surgery, Hospital Management, Urology, Eye & ENT, Dentistry, and Orthopaedics. In addition to MBBS and BDS, MPhil programs that comprise Periodontology, Histopathology, Haematology is conducted in evening and morning shifts. The medical college also offers short and long-term diplomas for technical faculty and local aspirants.
Department of Pharmacy at QAU:
Department of Pharmacy became functional in 2003 by Quaid-i-Azam University as a five-year program. The Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm-D) is rather a new field of medical sciences to Pakistani students. Still, it is one of the most recognized courses in the world with some graduates and unlimited job and field opportunities. It is a degree with a multidisciplinary scope that includes diagnosis, the discovery of novel ways to prepare medical equipment and pharmaceuticals. There is a huge pharmaceutical industry in Pakistan; it needs more graduates and local pioneers in the field to tackle the local viruses and diseases. The pharmacists have a leading role in clinical orientation and diagnosis of the patient rather than physicians that are currently doing the job of prescription of drugs in Pakistan.