Forman Christian College


Forman Christian College is an independent research liberal arts university located in Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan founded in 1864. The university is administered by the Presbyterian Church and follows an American-style curriculum.
Founded in 1864 by American Presbyterian missionary Dr. Charles William Forman, the college was initially named Mission College, and changed its name in 1894 to Forman Christian College, in honor of its founder. Forman served as an associated college of the University of Calcutta until 1947 when it became affiliated with the University of Punjab. In 2004, the government granted it university charter hence providing it with degree awarding authority.
The college was initially based in the Rang Mahal in Walled City of Lahore, which was leased by Dr. Charles from the grand wazir of Emperor Shah Jahan with the support from foreign missions. In 1889 it was shifted to Napier Road and was inaugurated by the Henry Petty-Fitzmaurice, 5th Marquess of Lansdowne. Again, in 1940, the college was moved to its present campus on the banks of the Lahore Canal in 1940. The college remained financially autonomous until 1960 when Pakistani government began annual grants for the college for its nursing program. The college was nationalised in 1972 until 2003 when the control was returned to the Presbyterian Church.
Forman is also known for its noted alumni and staff, including Nobel laureate Arthur Compton, former Indian Prime Minister I. K. Gujral, former Pakistani Presidents Farooq Leghari and Pervez Musharraf, and activist Eqbal Ahmad. As of 2016, Forman is home to 6,347 students, 220 full-time faculty members with over 100 possessing PhDs, and 21,700 strong alumni. Christians make up nearly 15% of the student body while the college runs a $1 million fund to finance scholarships for its students. As of 2016, the college has been ranked 9th highest in Pakistan among medium-sized universities and is the only institute in Pakistan which is a member of the Global Liberal Arts Alliance.
The current Rector of FCC is Dr. James Tebbe.

History

The university was founded by Dr. Charles W. Forman who arrived to colonial India in 1847 and, two years later, settled in Lahore, British India. He was the founder of the Rang Mahal School, Lahore, which was the first Anglo-vernacular school in Punjab. The school added a college department in 1865 which later became a university in 2005 known as Forman Christian College University. It started offering an American style world class education in Pakistan. FCCU started new postgraduate courses along with MBA in 2007.
Native to Lahore, Surendra Kumar Datta was a professor of history and biology from 1909-1914 and served as the principal of Forman Christian College from 1932-1942, later becoming the president of the All India Conference of Indian Christians and representing the Christian community of colonial India in the Round Table Conferences.
One of Forman's faculty members, Prof. Arthur Compton, conducted the bulk of his research on cosmic rays at FCC University for which he received the Nobel Prize in 1927.
One of Professor Compton's former students Professor Piara Singh Gill taught at the college as lecturer in Physics between 1940 and 1947. Two alumni, Dr. Sir S. S. Bhatnagar and Dr. Bashir Ahmad, laid the foundation for scientific and industrial research in both parts of South Asia by establishing ICSIR and PCSIR respectively.
The first two Science graduates of FC College University were also the first Science graduates of the University of the Punjab. In this way FCCU was the first to establish, in this part of the sub-continent, Departments of Biology, Greek, Latin and Hebrew Languages, Industrial Chemistry, Geography, setting up the Experimental Psychology Laboratory, introducing the tutorial system, appointing Deans of the Faculties introducing co-educational system, and establishing an alumni Association.
Besides this FCCU also started Software engineering, CS, and IT in 2006.

Achievements

Achievements of other Formanites, as the graduates are called, include:
The university has designed its four-year bachelor's degree program in accordance with the standards for accreditation in the US, and is seeking accreditation through the Western Association of Schools and Colleges.

Notable alumni

Politicians