Abstract:
In the last five years (2002-2007) under the directions of the Higher Education Commission,
Islamabad, a process of transforming Universities within Pakistan into research oriented
Universities has been initiated. What are the prospects for these initiatives? Under this perspective
Universities should not only transmit knowledge but be actively engaged in the creation of new
knowledge. About 30 years ago in 1976 a number of Centres of Excellence were established in
Pakistani Universities with the same objectives of initiating research in selected fields within
Pakistan. This paper attempts to analyse the successes and failures of one such Centre of
Excellence. The Centre for Solid State Physics established within the Punjab University, Lahore,
has been engaged in producing M.Phil graduates and to a lesser extent PhDs in the field of Solid
State Physics over the last 30 years. Its experience serves as a guide for current efforts at
transforming Universities within Pakistan.
