Centralized Resource Laboratory

Introduction

Research Laboratories are the basic requirement of any good educational institution where both the students and teachers (researchers) see the science in its real sense. Research laboratories are so important today that we cannot separate teaching from research in any institution of higher learning. The standard of any institution of higher studies is determined by the quality of research being conducted along with the quality of its graduates produced. The idea of establishing the Centralized Resource Laboratory is to provide facilities to Teaching and Research Community where modern, sophisticated and state of the Art equipment are placed. Such equipment are chosen, which are of diverse use and are beyond the purchase power of an individual department to avoid duplication of expensive equipment and to get their maximum use. Most of these equipment are housed in the Centralized Resource Laboratory, situated in Physics Department, University of Peshawar.

The source of funding for these equipments is the Government of Pakistan through Higher Education Commission, Islamabad. First grant of Rs.39 Million was received after approval of PC-I prepared by the University of Peshawar. The overall grant was for the purchase of equipments, without any construction work. The space for the establishment of this laboratory was provided by the Physics Department.
The work on the laboratory started in June 2001 and in five years’ time all the equipments were imported, working environment created and equipments were installed. Now all these equipments are in working condition. The idea of establishment of Centralized Resource Laboratory is appreciated by Ministry of Science and Technology and University Grants Commission (now Higher Education Commission) and they asked other Universities to establish similar Laboratories. Also, they asked the University of Peshawar to prepare the 2nd phase for Strengthening of this Laboratory. Another PC-1 was prepared for the second phase and submitted to the Higher Education Commission in October 2002 and a further grant of Rs. 37 Million was approved for the extension of the Laboratory.
Researchers and students from different institutions throughout the country are using these equipment extensively, in addition to some private users. Also some industries have shown interest to use these facilities. Before the installation of these equipments, the samples were either sent outside the country or to laboratories rarely located within the country where the researchers either have no access or have to wait for months to get results.