The First International Collaboration between English Departments of LCWU, Pakistan and IIUM, Malaysia

Brief Overview of Collaboration between the English departments of LCWU and IIUMThe department of English, LCWU, being one of the oldest postgraduate departments in the country, has always strived for excellence. Establishing ties with International Universities and developing mutually beneficial academic relations is not only a requirement of Higher Education Commission for ranking but also our recently developed goal for academic improvement. For this, during our search in the start of 2019, we found the department of English, IIUM to be very suitable as it meets our requirements for collaboration. For the purpose of signing the first document of collaboration , namely the letter of Intent, the department nominated Mrs. Mahrukh Bokhari, the principal of Lahore College for Women, Intermediate Section and Mrs. Aaisha Umt Ur Rashid to visit IIUM and to explore possibilities of collaboration in various academic areas.  The meetings turned fruitful, hence leading to the signing of the Letter of Intent where both the departments agreed on establishing ties of friendship and cooperation for the development of both. It is a matter of great pride for the department that this collaboration happens to be the very first alliance in the history of the English department.
The immediate result of this collaboration turned out to be a Three Days International Symposium titled “The Postcolonial and the Glocal” and the launch of the first volume of The Bridge, which is a creative writing venture featuring writers from Malaysia and Pakistan.

The Letter of Intent

The Letter of Intent (signed on 18th April, 2019) states the following points:

Two Departments agree to develop the following collaborative activities but not limited to such activities in the academic areas of mutual interest on the basis of equality and reciprocity:

a) Establish ties of friendship and cooperation between academicians 

b) Promote mutual understanding and academic collaboration exchanges

c) Exchange of students for industrial training and internship

d) Access to available research facilities and training for post graduate students

e) Exchange of information and resources, promotion of joint publication and other scholar communications

f) Other academic exchange to which both parties agree  

Overview of the Project

The Bridge is a creative writing venture initiated by the department of English, Lahore College for Women University, Lahore, Pakistan as an outcome of collaboration with the English department of International Islamic University, Malaysia. The aim of the project as a whole is to bridge bridges between the writers of various parts of the world providing them a platform for showcasing their work.

 The Bridge is a brainchild of Ms. Aaisha Umt Ur Rashid, Lecturer, Department of English, LCWU, Lahore and also the Incharge of International Collaborations, LCWU. She is a poet and a short story writer experimenting with new forms of writing. She has recently introduced and is teaching a new course entitled, Dynamic of Creative Writing at LCWU. 

The Bridge - Volume 1

Volume 1 is Edited by Ms. Aaisha Umt Ur Rashid from Pakistan and Prof. Nor Faridah Abdul Manaf, from Malaysia. The book consists of poems and short stories by emerging and published writers of Malaysia and Pakistan. The contributions deal with diverse themes like ethnicity, landscape and identity. The volume is being used as a reference book in the creative writing courses of both Malaysian and Pakistani creative writing courses at BS level (At IIUM and LCWU).  The book is published by Silverfish Books, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

The Bridge - Volume 2

Volume II is edited by Aaisha Umt Ur Rashid from Pakistan and Shannon Phillips from the United States. The book contains poems and short stories by published and emerging writers from both the countries. The writings revolve around the theme “Roots”. This volume is also being used as a reference book in the creative writing courses at LCWU and also at some Institutes at the United States.  

The Siraj ud Din Dramatics Society (SDS) was a reincarnation in 1988, of the original Lahore College Dramatics Society. The society was named after Mrs Urmila Sirajuddin (the most iconic teacher, leader, mentor and Head of the Department of English at LCWU) as an acknowledgement of her persistent support, keen interest and willingness in initiating the revival of dramatic activities in the institution. The society has been parented by the English Department since its inception.

The prime aim of SDS is the provision of entertainment, cultural activities and fund raising for the institution. It has continued to produce and present creative performances for more than three decades now. The society excelled under the leadership of Mrs Seema Sohail as it’s in-charge for nearly two decades until her retirement in 2015. Over the decades the faculty of the English Department such as Mrs Zakia Nasir, Ms Farwa Shah, Mrs Maryam Arif, Mrs Mahrukh Bokhari, Mrs Shehla Imdad, Mrs Bushra Nadeem and Ms Fatima Hassan have been associated with SDS both as students and later as staff members. The society having stood the test of time has been the bench mark of trend setting creativity with quality and innovation in the institution. It has had many a diverse productions such as annual plays (The Devil’s Disciple, Marray Thay Jin Ke Liay, The Blithe Spirit, Pygmalion, Meri Zaat Zarra e Bey Nishaan, etc.), Variety Shows, Drama Competitions, Mime presentations and so on to its credit. SDS has represented LCWU on a number of platforms and competitions not only in Lahore but in other cities (Islamabad, Risalpur, Jaranwala etc.) as well. Currently Ms Fatima Hassan is working as in-charge of the society.

Inaugural Ceremony of Centennial Celebrations of LCWU (30tb Sept 2021)

Sirajuddin Dramatics Society (SDS) presented theatrical performances on Sufism and Role of LCWU in Women Empowerment. The Sufi performance had a flavour of mystique that mesmerised the audience. Whereas the short performance on LCWU over the last ten decades was a powerful display of how far women have come and the role the institution has played in the struggle for women empowerment.

Fareeha Basit Khan Literary Society is named after the currently serving Director of Sabiha Mansoor Institute of Languages and Culture, LCWU, Lahore. The society was previously named Shaukat Ara Niazi Literary Society and the yearly medal was funded by Ms. Shaukat Ara Niazi for a long time. Prof. Fareeha Basit Khan is the patron while Mrs. Aaisha Umt Ur Rashid is the Incharge of the society.  Ayza Yousaf is the President and Mahnoor Tahir is the Secretary of the Society.

Fareeha Basit Khan Literary Society (FBK) is one of the most extensively dynamic and vibrant societies in the realm of University’s extra-curricular activities. Seeking to enhance the students’ taste in anything that gyrates around the perception of ‘literary’ and to provide them with a milieu which promotes interaction between like-minded people in the campus to cultivate a course of action of combined creative exchange and development, the society undertakes a plethora of activities including seminars, talks, orientation sessions, rhetoric and composition practices, reading profound essays, poetry recitation, lectures, workshops, quiz contests and discussion forums. All these activities are aimed to widen the horizon of the mind and to empower the students to appreciate that slight glitter of ‘literary spark’ evidently experienced in matters of everyday life and diverse art forms. We propose a regular prospect to students with interest in literature to listen to and question writers and speakers on diverse literary topics. We work in strong liaison with literary societies of other universities and educational institutes of Lahore.

FBK provides a medium for creative expression to all literary enthusiasts around the campus, and helps the students to discover their potential in any area they identify with, in order to equip them with a tool to voice their outlook and to help them take the primary stride towards shaping these minute notions into the changes they incline to bring about in the world around them.

The society is an ideal platform for all the people who care for putting their minds together to eventually link the dots between all the pieces of a hodgepodge world around them.

Hail to a smarter approach of thinking…Hail to an epoch of creative brilliance painted with strokes of freedom in expression. Welcome to FBK Literary Society

AIMS 

·         It aims to provide a forum where the young writers can polish their skills and enhance their capabilities.

·         It focuses to provide inter-university, national and even international grounds of multiple literary competitions and contributions to the students.  

·         It intends to provide a medium which from small beginnings will eventually grow into a learned society with an international outreach and perspective.

·         Through programs of discussions, talks and study tours, the society endeavors to endorse love of the written word, whichever form it may take, be it prose or verse, the classics or modern writers.

·         It aims at encouraging scholarly studies and discussions.

ACTIVITIES

·         Recently, the society organized a three day International Symposium entitled ‘Post-colonial and the Glocal’ which was held on 29-31 Oct, 2019 at Iqra Auditorium, LCWU

·         It also managed to have the book ‘The Bridge’ published in Malaysia featuring writers from Malaysia and Pakistan.

·         Positions were also won by brilliant students in ALL PAKISTAN LITERARY COMPETITION, 2019 organized by Education University in collaboration with Expo Centre.

·         Our members took part in FANOOS’19 ALL PAKISTAN LITERARY FESTIVAL organized by UET and won distinctions in multiple genres.

·         The cociety managed inter- university ANNUAL POETRY RECITATION COMPETITION entitled ‘The Feminist Perspective’ with great success. Event also had tints of enactment.

·         3 members of the society took part in ANNUAL POETRY COMPETITION organized by NAB, Lahore on Nov 14, 2019 at Alhamra Art Council.

·         It also took part in ALL PAKISTAN LITERARY COMPETITION, 2018 organized by Education University Lahore.

·         On Dec 13, 2018 society had an intra-university quiz competition followed by an enactment on the theme of ‘Theatre of Absurd’

·         It also organized a Book Launch of ‘Lahore I am Coming’ by Dr. Rizwan Ahtar.

·         The literary society had a transparent and successful ANNUAL INTER-UNIVERSITY QUIZ COMPETITION.

·          The Literary Society members attended a talk by an eminent writer Mohsin Hamid at FC College Lahore.

·          It participated in IPSS YOUTH POETRY WRITING COMPETITION (online) on 12th of March 2012.

·          It also participated in ANNUAL POETRY RECITATION COMPETITION held at Kinnaird College Lahore on 10th of March 2012.

·          It took part in BNU BESTIVAL 2012 for writing English poetry.

·          In November 2011, the students of the Literary Society appeared in BILINGUAL POETRY RECITATION COMPETITION held at LGS Paragon.

·          On 8th of March 2011, members of the Literary Society participated in ANNUAL SIRAJ-UD-DIN POETRY RECITATION COMPETITION.

·         On 28th March 2011, three students of  Literary Society participated in PINK RIBBON CREATIVE CONTEST and wrote essays on the topic ‘WOMEN ARE HUMAN’

How to be a part of the Society?

You can contact the office bearers of the society, show your interest along with some evidence of your literary potential in the form of some publication or written material, undergo an interview and if you are lucky enough, you are in.

Office Bearers :

In charge of FBK Society: Ms. Aaisha Umt Ur Rashid   This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
President of FBK Society:  Ayeza Yousaf                       This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Secretary of FBK Society: Mahnoor Tahir                       This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

AWARDS AND HONOURS:

BS English Literature
Year I

Semester-I

Semester-II

Year II

Semester-III

Semester-IV

Year III

Semester V

 Semester VI

 Year IV

Semester VII

Semester VIII

Grand Total of Credit Hours: 17+17+15+15+15+18+15+18= 130

MS English Literature

Year I

Semester I

Semester II

 Year II

 Semester III & IV 

•    To help students to develop competence in English Language so that they feel confident to think independently and use language creatively

•    To expose students to the core linguistics and literary concepts and their various applications

•    To help students trace and recognize the major traditions and trends in research so that they may themselves become responsible, independent researchers.

•    To enable students to be productively absorbed in the job market by equipping them with adequate knowledge and skills requires for professional excellence.

•    To make students capable of analyzing a wide range of literary material. They should be able to critically read and analyze literary texts as well as make comparison between individual texts

•    To use critical concepts and terminology with understanding

•    To help students get tuned towards taking up higher literary research and Ph.D.