National University of Computer & Emerging Sciences

June 2015 Newsletter Vol: 6 Issue: 10 NASCON 15 organized to advance science & technology in

A three-day annual National Solution progress and grow in this era of scientific University, and COMSATS participated in Convention (NASCON) 2015 started at and technological advancement. the event. FAST-NU campus on May 8 The event included various competitions Some of the categories include Robo to provide the participants from across related to engineering and computer science Sprint, Robothon, Battle of Bots, Scavenger the country a platform to showcase their to help solve problems many students face Hunt, Mobile App Development, Speed skills and talent in the field of science and while pursuing a field of their interest. Programming, Ideathon, Quad Mania, technology. The event aimed to provide a A theme is prepared each year for NASCON Business Plan Competition, NASCON to indulge participants in healthy debates platform for the young entrepreneurs to Model United Nation and Standup Comedy that could potentially provide solutions to and Mushaira. About Rs. 1.5 million worth issues that the country is facing. The theme of prizes were distributed among the for NASCON 2015 encompasses economic, environmental and social sustainability. It participants at the end of the event. included computer science, engineering, Meanwhile, 14 students of Electrical social and sports categories. Engineering, FAST-NU Lahore campus Over 1,500 students from Lahore participated in four events of Electrical University of Management Sciences, Engineering in NASCON 15 and won prizes Islamic International University Islamabad, in all four categories. FAST-NU Lahore also Iqra University, NUST, FAST-NU Lahore, won the Overall Runner-up Team Trophy Institute of Space Technology, Punjab beating almost 30 universities.

Participation in The News Education Expo 15

FAST-NU Islamabad and Chiniot- university’s role in providing quality higher Pakistan. Giveaways and souvenirs were Faisalabad campuses actively participated education to thousands of students across given to the visitors. in an education exhibition organized by The News International. Exhibition titled The News Education Expo 15 was held in Islamabad on May 27 and 28 while it was organized in Faisalabad on June 2. Hundreds of prospective students and their parents visited FAST-NU stalls both in Islamabad and Faisalabad and took keen interest in the university programs. Dignitaries and educationists also visited FAST-NU stalls and appreciated the FSM tops in CASE SPARK 2015 Two teams from FAST School of Management (FSM) under the supervision Competition held at CASE University of Mr. Sarfraz Islamabad - CASE SPARK 2015. 45 teams Kiyani won First competed in the contest from all over prize worth Rs. Pakistan including teams from NUST 75,000 as well Business School, , Quaid- as 2nd prize of e-Azam University, Lahore school of Rs. 50,000 at economics, and University of . The the All Pakistan names of FSM winning teams are ‘House Business Plan In’ and ‘Candyholics’. Job Fair 2015 at Islamabad Campus FAST-NU Islamabad campus held a Job Fair 2015 to build liaison between the students and potential employers. With participation from 60 organizations representing various industries including IT, Electrical Engineering, Telecom, Banking, Financial Services, Real Estate, Development sector, and public sector FAST-NU Islamabad Job Fair 2015 was a major success. Dr. Arshad Ali Shahid, Director Islamabad Campus, welcomed the Chief Guest Mr. year projects. rooms at the campus. Students were Muhammad Latif Virk, Registrar FAST-NU. The students briefly presented their project also shortlisted for interviews from their The Chief Guest and industry delegates ideas to industry guests and engaged in a resumes in the graduate directory. Some were taken for a round of the campus and a short Q&A session. Company delegates organizations offered students walk-in tour of final year projects exhibition by the screened the graduating batch during interviews for jobs as well as internships. graduating students of all departments. The this interaction and shortlisted them 45 companies conducted interviews and delegates were very impressed by the quality for individual interviews. The company shortlisted candidates for 2nd interviews to of students and the efforts they put in final delegates were facilitated by interview be conducted at their offices. Workshop on Outcome Based Education 7th JUMP FAST-NU Quality Enhancement Cell agencies in assessing quality systems of Start Business arranged a one-day workshop on “Outcome Higher Education Institutions (HEIs). Based Education and Assessment” for Quality Enhancement Cell (QEC) at FAST- Competition faculties of Computer and Electrical NU regularly organizes capacity building Engineering on May 04, 2015. Dr. Zahid sessions to facilitate in sustainable faculty The 7th Jump Start Business Competition Halim, Director QEC GIKI, facilitated development, systems’ up-gradation, and was recently held at FAST-NU Islamabad. the training session according to the capacity building of stakeholders for The competition helped the students to requirements of Higher Education flourishing of Outcome Based Education practically learn the traits of starting their Commission. The presentation was highly (OBE) model in the University. This would own business venture. Various entrepreneurs informative and well received by all the advocate the cause of good policy making from the industry were invited to judge their participants. and efficient delivery of knowledge as per real time demonstrations and presentations. With emerging global competition in higher the requirements of HEC and accreditation Students of Entrepreneurship from education, Outcome-based education (OBE) councils like Pakistan Engineering Council Computer Science as well as Management philosophy is transforming the educational (PEC), National Computing Education Sciences participated in the contest. The systems around determined goals. Further, Accreditation Council (NCEAC), and winning idea of JUMP Start 2015 was OBE models are rigorously followed by National Business Education Accreditation “Cinefloat”, a concept of floating cinema in accreditation bodies and quality assurance Council (NBEAC). Rawal Lake Islamabad.

Achievement Talk on Rainbow Ramsey Theory Dr. Summaira Sarfraz, Dr. S. M. Husnine, Dean Associate Professor, Sciences & Humanities, Head of English FAST-NU Lahore campus, Language Program, participated in the 1st FAST-NU, has been UNCPAM National selected for the award Conference on Pure and of Charles Wallace Applied Mathematics Fellowship Scholarship organized on March 7 and 2015-16. It is one of 8, 2015 at University of the prestigious British Management and Technology scholarships for mid-career professionals Lahore. He participated in with an objective of research and professional the conference as keynote development. Her host institution in the UK speaker and gave his is University of London which ranks among presentation on “Rainbow the top ten UK universities. Ramsey Theory”.

2 Students participate in World Universities Debating Championship

The students of Lahore campus successfully fourth consecutive participation of FAST- represented FAST-NU in the World NU in WUDC. Universities Debating Championship Mr. Nouman Shafqat ranked as the top (WUDC) held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. speaker of Pakistan. Ms. Mir Rawtah WUDC is considered as the largest competed with delegates of India, Canada, competition of debates in which around USA and China to be elected as the 400 renowned institutions including prestigious Female Officer of the next Oxford and Harvard participate. The team WUDC which will be held in Greece. She that represented FAST-NUCES from the has earned the honor of being the 2nd platform of VOICE-FAST Lahore Debating Asian and 1st Pakistani to be a part of the Society included President VOICE Mr. WUDC Council. Both the speakers have Nouman Shafqat and Ms. Mir Rawtah, worked hard to improve the global debate Secretary General of the Society. This is ranking of FAST-NU. Ph.D thesis defended Faculty member conducts workshop in Indonesia Mr. Salabat Khan of FAST-NU Islamabad Dr. Muhammad Abbas, Assistant Professor, University Bandung Indonesia. Participants campus has successfully defended his FAST School of Management, Islamabad were from the host universities as well as Ph.D thesis titled “Novel Ant Colony campus, conducted a training workshop other higher education institutions of Optimization Algorithms for Flat and on “Publishing in ISI and Impact Factor Indonesia. The purpose of this workshop Hierarchical Classification” at Islamabad Journals” in Bandung, Indonesia on April was to provide guidance to the young campus. He has successfully published 22, 2015. The workshop was organized researchers from developing countries four impact factor journal papers and eight by Indonesia Computer University on publishing in impact factor research conference papers during his Ph.D. (UNICOM) and International Women outlets. Dr. Abdul Rauf Baig along with co- supervisor Dr. Waseem Shahzad supervised the thesis of Mr. Salabat. The foreign evaluators of the thesis were Professor Dr. Michael Affenzeller, Department of Software Engineering, Upper Austrian University of Applied Sciences, Austria, and Associate Professor Dr. Andreas Rauber, Department of Software Technology & Interactive Systems, Vienna University of Technology, Vienna, Austria. Mr. Salabat is the 21st Ph.D graduate and 20th of the Computer Science Department of Islamabad campus. Research papers accepted 1. A conference paper titled, “Minds Ayesha Bano will present the paper in criteria. enslaved: Exploring international the conference, which is going to be 3. A research paper titled “Design, experience as a source of labour market held at the University of Portsmouth, Implementation and Thermal discrimination”, by Ms. Ayesha Bano, UK, from September 8 to 10, 2015. Modeling of Embedded Reconfigurable Assistant Professor, FAST School 2. A research paper titled “Modeling Magnetorquer System for of Management (FSM), Islamabad and analysis of unsteady axisymmetric NanoSatellites” written by Assistant campus, and Dr. Sadia Nadeem, squeezing fluid flow with slip and no- Professor Dr. Anwar Ali with Assistant Associate Professor, FSM, Islamabad, slip boundaries” written by Assistant Professor Dr. Muhammad Naveed has been accepted for presentation Professor Mubashir Qayyum, Ph.D Aman, FAST-NU Peshawar campus, at the 29th British Academy of Mathematics scholar, Peshawar campus, Management (BAM) conference. The as a principal author with co-authors has been accepted in IEEE Transactions BAM conference is highly reputed, Hamid Khan, Tariq Rahim, and Inayat on Aerospace and Electronic Systems arranged by the British Academy of Ullah from Peshawar campus, has been (TAES). The journal ranks in top 12 Management, which publishes two accepted for publication in the journal journals including all evaluation factors leading high ranking international “PLOS ONE”. The journal has 3.534 in the field of Aerospace Engineering. journals; BJM (Impact Factor: 2.044) Impact Factor and it falls under the The journal has Gold category as per and IJMR (Impact Factor: 3.333). Ms. Gold category as per FAST-NU quality FAST-NU journal quality criteria.

3 Recreational trip to 2nd Annual Youth Entrepreneurship Summit Bhurban held at Islamabad campus FAST Adventure Society of Peshawar 2nd Annual Youth Entrepreneurship Nayatel, Mr. Isphanyar Bhandara, CEO campus arranged a one-day recreational Summit – YES 2015 – was held at Murree Brewery, Mr. Javed Chaudhary, trip to Bhurban for the female students FAST-NU Islamabad on May 30, 2015. Columnist and Anchorperson, Mr. Adnan on May 9, 2015. Students visited Changa Supervised by Mr. Sarfraz Kiyani, the Shaukat, CEO Oxygene TV, Ms. Jaweria Gali, Ayubia and Dunga Gali and Bhurban summit was organized by the students of Sethi, Founder Edopia, Ms. Amber Qazi, and spent an adventurous day to invigorate their energies for studies.

Industrial Trip Entrepreneurship class of FAST School of Founder Funky Bakes, and Mr. Mohsin to KSB Management. Business students and faculty Lodhi, Trainer & Consultant, addressed members from NUST Business School were the summit and shared success stories to Pumps plant invited to participate in the event. motivate the students. They discussed the FAST Engineering Society at Peshawar Mr. Asad Umar was the chief guest of risks and potential benefits in carrying out Campus arranged an industrial trip the summit. Successful entrepreneurs and a business venture, their philosophy and for final year students of Batch-11 of notables including Mr. Wahaj Siraj, CEO leadership styles. Electrical Engineering to KSB Pumps Company Limited, Hassan Abdal on May 7, 2015. KSB is a multinational Lahore campus organizes Geek Week 2015 company which specializes in pumps, valves and systems for industrial, FAST-NU Lahore organized GEEK Week building services, energy and water and 2015 which was attended by more than 750 waste water applications. students. Plan9 - Tech Incubator (A project The visiting group comprised 38 students of PITB and ITU) was the event partner for along with three faculty members. Geek Week’15. Mr. Nabeel A. Qadeer from The technical staff of the company Punjab Information Technology Board was introduced the students with different the chief guest at the opening ceremony. sections of the industry including In this Geek Week event, NUCES ACM, Competition’15, which was a tech based sophisticated equipment, manufacturing the students’ society of FAST-NU, arranged entrepreneurial ideas contest. Furthermore, process of the pumps and auto control Cryptic Hunt event. Theme for Poster Geek Wars was a time based competition system of the pumps. This visit provided Designing was ‘Green & Eco Friendly aimed at improving IQ and analytical an excellent breakthrough in the learning Environment’. Crypto hacking segment skills for upcoming engineers. The Gaming process of students. is where security engineering meets Arcade included games such as FIFA 15, mathematics. DevFest was evolved from COD 4 and CS 1.6. the idea of consecutive lengthy hours of Mr. Burhan Rasool, Director Software application development, which revolved Engineering at PITB, and Mr. Sajjad around the theme of ‘Anti-Terrorism’. Kirmani, CEO of Infogistics, graced the Moreover, Distributive Programming closing ceremony as chief guests. Prizes Competition was a 5-hour competition that of worth PKR 3,00,000 along with shields involved teams solving the programming were distributed among the participants. problems and designing them with respect Geek Week team was also acknowledged for to international standards. Another their hard work and efforts to organize an competition was Geek Innovator Ideas impactful event.

Contact: Dr. M. Latif Virk, Registrar, National University of Computer & Emerging Sciences, FAST House, Rohtas Road, G-9/4, Islamabad. Email: [email protected] Phone: 051-2264629, Edited & designed by: H.A. Minhas

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