Foreign faculty rejoins GCU school

LAHORE
The foreign faculty, which had left the Government College University’s doctoral school Abdus Salam School of Mathematical Sciences (GCU-ASSMS) last year, has rejoined.
According to a press release, European Mathematical Society (EMS) Committee for Developing Countries President Professor Michel Waldschmidt Thursday arrived at the doctoral school to review and assist in the revival of its academic and research activities as ASSMS previously enjoyed the status of Emerging Regional Centre of Excellence (ERCE) by EMS.
Professor Michel Waldschmidt, who is an eminent French mathematician specialising in number theory, met with Vice Chancellor Prof Dr Hassan Amir Shah and Director General Prof Dr Shahid Saeed Siddiqi and discussed the future prospects of the doctoral school which had produced more than 125 PhDs in Mathematics for Pakistan in a short span of just eight years.
The vice chancellor lauded the support of Higher Education Commission (HEC) and former ASSMS Director General Prof Dr A.D Raza Ch for the revival academic and research activities at the school where 57 students were currently pursuing their MPhil leading to PhD programme.
Prof Shah accepted the fact that he was inherited a 'faculty-less' ASSMS just two month ago. But now, he said, more than twelve foreign faculty members from Bulgaria, Germany, Romania, France and Croatia had joined the Salam School while more foreign faculty were expected in coming weeks. He said the foreign faculty which had recently joined ASSMS included Dr Tzanko Donchev, Dr Dimitar Kolev, Dr Johann Davidov, Dr Gerhard Pfister, Dr IoanTomescu, Dr Constantin Fatecau, Dr Dumitru Vieru, Dr Tiberiu Dumitrescu, Dr Georgi E. Karadzhov and Dr Renaud Leplaideur. Prof Shah said ASSMS had a special status because all universities in Pakistan had altogether not produced 125 PhDs in mathematics in the last eight years, while GCU ASSMS had done it alone. He said all PhDs from GCU ASSMS were working for top-ranking research institutes and universities in Pakistan and aboard. The VC also condoled with the French mathematician on the loss of precious lives in Paris attacks, saying that every Pakistani shared the pain and grief of French people. Professor Michel Waldschmidt said he was a witness to the excellence of Abdus Salam School of Mathematical Sciences (ASSMS), as he had taught there for several months. He believed that Pakistani students were very bright, intelligent and hardworking. Professor Michel Waldschmidt would also deliver two special lectures at the ASSMS to the faculty members and students.