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Message from the Chair 
We took our founding
philosophy from the Report of the Visiting External
Review Committee in March, 1999: "...the overall
objective of any reorganisation should be to get
the very best out of all of the staff in the most
efficient and democratic manner in terms of research,
undergraduate and graduate teaching and service and
to create an environment that is permissive to excellence
in all of these areas: in short, to encourage people
to play to their strengths and contribute maximally..."
From its inception, the Department of Biological and
Biomedical Sciences' (BBS) aim has been to take this
guidance and apply it so as to create an efficient
and finely-tuned operation. To this end, we have changed
the physical structure of the former departments, making
optimal use of existing space. Through the principles
of integration and communication, we are working towards
our goal of creating an atmosphere of scholarship in
what is now one large, strong and well-organised entity.
Integration reaches all aspects of our academic life.
The planning, design and implementation of a problem-based
learning mode of undergraduate medical curriculum constitutes
a fertile ground for innovations, where BBS has been
demonstrating its full instructional potential. A key
aim of the Department is to foster the spread of a
research-minded culture as a powerful driving force
within the University. On that front, our goal is to
initiate, develop and expand thematic research programmes
in both basic and applied scientific and medical research
that will take AKU to the next level on the international
scene, while benefiting specific health care needs
of the country.
Focused research strategies, excellence in undergraduate
and graduate teaching, and active involvement in the
life and growth of AKU, all take place in a framework
of academic freedom. In such a productive milieu, both
the mentoring of junior faculty and the involvement
of students in research activities place high on our
agenda. We firmly believe that clusters of leading
thinkers, working together in new and dynamic ways
stretching across disciplinary boundaries, will educate
the next generation of talent, generate innovative
ideas and knowledge, and transform the ways of thinking
of the global society. As the global economy is driven
by knowledge and modernism, recruiting the very best
faculty has never been more critical than it is today.
The success of our on-going recruiting exercise will
directly determine the quality of our programmes.
AKU is an ever-growing,
vibrant University whose vision is to "…be an autonomous, international institution
of distinction, primarily serving the developing world
and Muslim societies in innovative and enduring ways." In
this context, its constituent parts, such as BBS, must
accept the challenge to excellence. For example, among
the many opportunities that are presenting themselves,
BBS is directly involved in the development of an entirely
new center of knowledge to be under the auspices of
a Faculty of Arts and Sciences. The overarching plan
for a model of excellence in undergraduate education
in Pakistan is wholly consistent with the geographic
and programmatic expansion of AKU.
It is because of the dedication, hard work and professionalism
on the part of every member of BBS that we can take
satisfaction in the progress we have made and in the
future we can envision.
Thank you for your interest in learning about us.
Dr Philippe M. Frossard
Professor and Chair
Department of Biological and Biomedical Sciences
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