Forman Christian College

Friday, July 8, 2011, 8:08
Colleges, Institutes
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Forman Christian College University, or FCCU, is a chartered university in Lahore, Pakistan, named after its American-born founder, Dr. Charles William Forman.

Motto     By love, serve one another
Established     1864
Type     Private (non-profit)
Academic staff     200
Students     5000
Location     Lahore, Pakistan
Campus     Urban, 100+ acres

History

The university was founded by Dr. Charles William Forman who arrived to South Asia in 1847 and, two years later, settled in Lahore (now in Pakistan). He was the founder of the Rang Mahal School, Lahore, which was the first Anglo-vernacular school in the Punjab. The school added a college department in 1865 which was later known as Forman Christian College and then University.

One of Forman’s faculty members, Prof. Arthur Compton, conducted the bulk of his research on cosmic rays at FCC University for which he received the Nobel Prize in 1927. One of Professor Compton’s former students Professor Piara Singh Gill taught at the college as Lecturer in Physics between 1940 and 1947. Two alumni, Dr. Sir S. S. Bhatnagar and Dr. Bashir Ahmad, laid the foundation for scientific and industrial research in both parts of the subcontinent by establishing ICSIR and PCSIR respectively.

The first two Science graduates of FC College University were also the first Science graduates of the University of the Punjab (1900–1902). In this way FCCU was the first to establish, in this part of the sub-continent, Departments of Biology (1898), Greek, Latin and Hebrew Languages (1895–96), Industrial Chemistry (1917), Geography (1924), setting up the Experimental Psychology Laboratory; introducing the tutorial system^{[clarification needed]} (1908); appointing Deans of the Faculties; introducing co-educational system (1902); and, establishing a Graduates Association (1896).

Achievements

File:FC College University Gold Medal.JPG

Gold Medal

Achievements of other Formanites, as the graduates are called, include:

Its Principal Dr. Sir J. C. R. Ewing was knighted for his services to humanity and education. He served as Vice Chancellor of the Punjab University for seven years.
Principal Dr. C. H. Rice and a faculty member, Dr. Khairat M. Ibne Rasa, became Vice Chancellors of the Punjab University.
Justice Sir Mian Abdur Rashid, who was a Formanite and also the first Chief Justice of Pakistan, administered the oath of office to Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah as the first Governor General.

Accreditation

The university has designed its four year Bachelors Degree program in accordance with the standards for accreditation in the USA, and is seeking accreditation through the New England Association of Schools and Colleges.