Bahawalpur has always been a seat of higher learning. Uch Sharif (a nearby ancient town) had one of the largest universities in the world where scholars from all over the world used to come for studies. As a continuation of this tradition, a religious University (Jamia Abbasia) was established in Bahawalpur in 1925, following the academic pursuits of Jamia Al-Azhar, Egypt. The renowned scholars spread the beacon of Islam by teaching Tafseer of Quran, Hadith, Fiqh, and History along with other contemporary subjects. Given the changing scenario, Jamia Abbasia was declared as a general University in 1975 and was renamed The Islamia University of Bahawalpur. Initially, it started functioning at Abbasia and Khawaja Fareed Campuses with ten Departments. To construct a modern and self-contained campus, 1250 acres of land was allotted to the University on Hasilpur Road about eight kilometers away from the city center.
The dunes have been converted into well-built faculties, green lawns, hostels, residential colonies, farms, and orchards. It is known as Baghdad-ul-Jadeed Campus. The University was started with ten departments and now this number has increased to 45 offering 74 disciplines. Apart from conventional disciplines of Religious Affairs, Languages, Social and Basic Sciences education is being imparted in the areas of Business Administration, Engineering, Agriculture, Veterinary Sciences, Computer, Law, Education, Fine Arts, Pharmacy, Life Sciences, and Sports Sciences. The University values quality education rather than quantity. Towards the achievement of this end, a team of highly qualified and committed faculty members has been engaged. Moreover, research is being made a cornerstone of the educational philosophy.
To provide opportunities for higher education to the youth at their doorstep, two campuses were established at Rahim Yar Khan and Bahawalnagar in 2005. Initially, Departments of Management Sciences and Computer Science & Information Technology were established for which response was very encouraging. The number of Departments at Bahawalnagar and Rahim Yar Khan Campuses have been increased to seven and six, respectively.
A university is ought to meet the changing needs of our country by building on innovation, problem-solving, and interdisciplinary. Its mission shall be to create and disseminate knowledge through research and creative inquiry, teaching, and learning, and to transfer our intellectual product to enhance society in meaningful and sustainable ways. Its mission shall also be to serve students by teaching them problem-solving, leadership, and teamwork skills, and the value of commitment to quality, ethical behavior, and respect for others.
By supporting partnerships and expanding fields of research through new collaborations, we will build our research capacity and continue to push the boundaries of innovation and discovery. We will deliver research and innovation clusters that strengthen multidisciplinary research and enhance knowledge transfer capability. These clusters will provide a forum for business, industry, and government partners.
The commitment to excellence and high achievement cannot be compromised as the university moves forward. We will face both extra opportunity and real challenges in the next decade. The challenges include relentless competition for students and faculty, growing pressures and demands on resources, and the increasing complexity and uncertainty of our technological, economic, and political environments.
