LAHORE: The Information Technology University (ITU), modelled after the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, marked five years of its existence at function held here on Sunday. The function featured a cake-cutting ceremony, followed by various entertaining performances by ITU students, including singing, dancing and acting. The outgoing batch was given farewell while prizes were distributed among students who got distinction in various disciplines. On the occasion, ITU Vice Chancellor and Punjab Information Technology Board Chairman Dr Umar Saif also launched a website for ‘ITU Alumni Reconnect’. In his address, he advised the first graduating batch to apply for higher education abroad during the next three months and seek guidance from their respective teachers in this regard. Dr Saif said stated that ITU had planned to increase the present number of 900 students to 1,500 by next three years with the completion of its main campus being constructed on 180 acres area with a cost of Rs five billion. Presently ITU is offering ten degree programmes, with 80 faculty members. The vice chancellor said that the varsity was generating resources through grants and research projects. He added that the university had been a second home to hundreds of students since its inception in 2012. “This year marks the celebration of the graduation of its first batch of electrical engineering and computer science students who were enrolled in the undergraduate bachelors programme.” The event also celebrated the university acquiring a ‘W’ category, the highest ranking a university can achieve with regards to academic and research prowess and is awarded only to those institutions, which meet the requirements as proposed by the governing bodies, from the National Computing Accreditation Council and an endorsement from the Higher Education Commission (HEC). ‘W’ ranking is the highest ranking a university can achieve with regards to academic and research prowess and is awarded only to those institutions which meet the requirements as proposed by the governing bodies. Published in Daily Times, November 13th 2017.