LAHORE: (Friday, February 25, 2022): Setting a new precedent of making all statutory bodies fully functional, the incumbent Punjab University administration on Friday organized 358th meeting of Senate, which was 8th consecutive meeting in less than four years as per requirement of the University Calendar. The meeting was chaired by PU Vice Chancellor Prof Niaz Ahmad at Faisal Auditorium here on Friday in which a large number of Senate members participated. Addressing the meeting, Prof Niaz Ahmad said that for the first time, the university was being run by statutory bodies and their regular meetings were being held as per the requirements of the university calendar. He said that 8 meetings of PU Senate had been organized in less than four years while in the recent past, a gap of 8 to 10 years could be witnessed between the two meetings of the Senate. He said that rigorous efforts had been made by PU administration, teachers, employees and students to improve the international ranking of Punjab University. He said that in 2018, PU’s position in Asian ranking of the universities by QS was 232nd while in 2021, PU had been declared 145th best university in Asia among thousands of universities. He said PU had also improved its international ranking by 16 percent, which was a great achievement. He said that the number of professors and associate professors had never crossed the figure of 70 each but now we have more than 150 professors and 150 associate professors at the same time. He said that the university had given special attention to those research projects which aimed at solving socio-economic problems and contributed towards national development. The Senate meeting approved 25 percent allowance for university teachers and employees from June 01, 2021. In this regard, the Vice Chancellor briefed the house that he has recently requested Governor Punjab and Minister for Higher Education to give the allowance from June 01, 2021. The Senate members appreciated the role of the VC for uplifting international ranking of the university, restructuring the faculties and thanked him for his efforts regarding the allowance.