Shared block/CAEPE/CIRBS

For the ambitious minds and aspiring innovators in Islamabad Capital Territory, the pursuit of higher education, particularly in the fields of science, engineering, and cutting-edge research, is a journey that promises to unlock immense potential. Within the expansive campus of the International Islamic University Islamabad (IIUI) in H-10, stands a pivotal academic and research hub known as the Shared Block. This block is home to some of IIUI’s most forward-thinking initiatives, including the Centre for Advanced Electronics & Photovoltaic Engineering (CAEPE) and the Sulaiman Bin Abdullah Aba Al-Khail – Centre for Interdisciplinary Research in Basic Science (SA-CIRBS).

These centers, operating within the Shared Block, are not just about traditional classroom learning; they are dynamic environments where queries become instant solutions, as one local reviewer aptly puts it. They represent IIUI's commitment to fostering a culture of innovation, hands-on learning, and impactful research that addresses national and global challenges. As locals, we understand the increasing importance of technology and scientific advancement in shaping our future. The presence of such specialized centers within our capital city provides invaluable opportunities for students and researchers to engage with advanced technologies and contribute to the progress of Pakistan.

The International Islamic University Islamabad itself holds a significant position in Pakistan’s higher education landscape, known for its unique blend of contemporary academic disciplines and Islamic values. The Shared Block, by housing centers like CAEPE and CIRBS, extends this vision into the realms of advanced science and engineering, aiming to produce highly skilled manpower and generate knowledge that is both globally competitive and nationally relevant. It is a place where theoretical understanding meets practical application, empowering students to become leaders in their respective fields.

The Shared Block, housing CAEPE and CIRBS, is conveniently located at M25H+2H6, H-10, Islamabad, Pakistan. This address places it squarely within the sprawling and well-known H-10 campus of the International Islamic University Islamabad (IIUI). The H-10 sector is a recognized educational hub within the capital city, making this block accessible to a wide range of students and researchers from across the Islamabad Capital Territory and even from neighboring Rawalpindi.

Accessibility to the IIUI H-10 campus is a key advantage for local users. The university operates an extensive network of dedicated bus services, often referred to as "points," that cover various routes across Islamabad and Rawalpindi. This transportation system is designed to facilitate easy and affordable daily commutes for students, ensuring that logistical challenges do not hinder their pursuit of advanced education. For those who prefer personal transport, the H-10 sector is well-connected by major arterial roads, and ride-hailing services are readily available throughout the city. Ample parking facilities within the university campus, including near the Shared Block, also cater to those commuting by car. The well-planned infrastructure of the H-10 campus, with its spacious layout and green areas, provides a conducive and easily navigable environment for academic and research pursuits. The location emphasizes IIUI's commitment to making its cutting-edge facilities available to the widest possible local audience, fostering a vibrant academic community right here in Islamabad.

The Shared Block, as the home to CAEPE (Centre for Advanced Electronics & Photovoltaic Engineering) and CIRBS (Sulaiman Bin Abdullah Aba Al-Khail – Centre for Interdisciplinary Research in Basic Science), offers a specialized array of services focused on advanced research, education, and technological development. These services are distinct from general university offerings and cater to specific, highly technical fields:

• Postgraduate Degree Programs: Both CAEPE and CIRBS are primarily focused on offering advanced degree programs, including MS/MPhil and PhD levels.
  • CAEPE: Offers MS/PhD programs with a strong focus on Advanced Electronics, and partners with the Faculty of Engineering and Technology and Faculty of Sciences for MS/PhD Energy Systems Engineering and Nanoscience & Engineering Programs. Courses include Microelectronic Devices, Optoelectronic Devices, Photovoltaic Electronics, Advanced VLSI Design, and more.
  • CIRBS: Offers MS in Nanoscience and Engineering, and MS/PhD in Chemistry, Biosciences, and Environmental Sciences, with a focus on promoting interdisciplinary applied research.
• Cutting-Edge Research Facilities: The centers are equipped with highly advanced, custom-made laboratories and state-of-the-art equipment.
  • CAEPE: Features specialized labs for advanced electronic circuit design, device modeling and simulation, thin film deposition (like Plasma Enhanced Chemical Vapour Deposition System, Magnetron Sputtering System), photolithography, and device characterization.
  • CIRBS: Houses equipment such as PCR, real-time PCR, ICPMS, HPLC, GCMS, UV, IR, centrifuges, multi-mode readers, nano-drop, incubators, CO2-incubators, microbalances, microtome, lyophilizers, research and industrial scale fermenters, and spray-dryers.
• Research Training and Manpower Development: Both centers are dedicated to establishing sustainable sources of research training, developing qualified manpower in advanced electronics, photovoltaics, and interdisciplinary basic sciences to meet national needs.
• Facility Access Services: CAEPE, in particular, is highlighted as a "user-access facility," implying that its advanced equipment and expertise might be available for use by external researchers, industries, or other academic institutions on a collaborative or service basis.
• Applied Interdisciplinary Research: CIRBS promotes interdisciplinary applied research, particularly through combinatorial use of chemical, biological, and environmental sciences, focusing on areas like medicinal chemistry, pharmaceutical chemistry, food chemistry, industrial enzymology, structural and functional biology, and environmental challenges.
• Industry and Academic Collaborations: Both centers emphasize national and international academic and industrial collaborations, partnerships, ventures, trainings, services, exchanges, and projects, encouraging proposals and ideas from within Pakistan and abroad.
• Undergraduate Course Support: While primarily postgraduate, CAEPE also provides hands-on sessions for undergraduate courses like Microelectronics Technology, VLSI Technology, and Optoelectronics, supporting hundreds of BS Electrical Engineering students.

The Shared Block, with CAEPE and CIRBS housed within it, stands out as a unique and advanced educational and research hub in Islamabad Capital Territory due to several key features and highlights:

• Pioneering Technology Hub: As one reviewer aptly put it, CAEPE is indeed "a Technology Hub where queries become instant solution." This signifies a dynamic, problem-solving, and hands-on approach to advanced electronics and photovoltaic engineering.
• Cutting-Edge Research Infrastructure: Both centers are equipped with state-of-the-art, often custom-made, laboratory equipment and facilities. This includes advanced deposition systems, analytical instruments, and specialized research tools that are rare in the region, enabling cutting-edge scientific investigations.
• Interdisciplinary Research Focus: CIRBS, especially, emphasizes interdisciplinary applied research, encouraging a holistic approach to scientific problems by combining chemical, biological, and environmental sciences. CAEPE also promotes cross-disciplinary research in electronics and energy.
• Strategic National Importance: The research areas pursued by CAEPE (Advanced Electronics, Photovoltaic Energy Engineering) and CIRBS (Medicinal Chemistry, Environmental Challenges) are aligned with Pakistan's Vision 2025 and national priorities for economic uplift and futuristic growth, making their work highly relevant to the country's development.
• Focus on Qualified Manpower Development: Both centers prioritize establishing sustainable sources of research training to develop highly qualified manpower in critical scientific and engineering fields, addressing a national need for specialized expertise.
• Strong Academic-Industrial Linkages: The emphasis on national and international academic and industrial collaborations means that research conducted here is often geared towards practical applications and real-world solutions, fostering innovation and economic growth.
• Advanced Academic Programs: The centers offer highly specialized MS and PhD programs, providing in-depth knowledge and hands-on experience in niche and advanced scientific and engineering domains, preparing students for competitive scientific and industrial careers.
• Experienced and Dedicated Faculty: While some feedback points to "inexperience non permanent teachers," the core of the faculty comprises experienced permanent teachers and researchers who are dedicated to guiding students through complex research projects.

As integral research centers within a public university like International Islamic University Islamabad (IIUI), the Shared Block, encompassing CAEPE and CIRBS, does not offer "promotions" or "special offers" in the commercial sense. However, the inherent value proposition and the opportunities provided are significant and can be considered invaluable benefits for aspiring students and researchers in Islamabad Capital Territory. These are geared towards fostering advanced education and research:

• Access to State-of-the-Art Research Facilities: The primary "offer" is the unique opportunity to conduct research using highly advanced and often rare equipment and laboratories. For students and researchers in specialized fields like advanced electronics, photovoltaics, and basic sciences, this access is a critical advantage for cutting-edge work.
• Specialized Postgraduate Programs: The availability of highly specialized MS and PhD programs in niche areas such as Nanoscience and Engineering, Advanced Electronics, and Energy Systems Engineering, offers unique academic pathways that are not widely available in other institutions.
• Scholarship Opportunities: Students enrolled in these advanced programs at IIUI are eligible to apply for various university scholarships (merit-based, need-based), as well as national scholarships from organizations like the Higher Education Commission (HEC), which can significantly alleviate the financial burden of postgraduate studies.
• Expert Faculty Guidance: Learning and conducting research under the mentorship of experienced and specialized permanent faculty members, many of whom are leading experts in their fields, is an invaluable educational benefit.
• Contribution to National Development: Engaging in research at these centers means contributing directly to areas of national importance as identified by Pakistan's Vision 2025 and HEC's priorities, offering a sense of purpose and real-world impact.
• Networking and Collaboration Opportunities: The strong emphasis on academic and industrial collaborations provides students with invaluable networking opportunities, potentially leading to internships, research partnerships, and future career prospects within the industry or academia, both nationally and internationally.
• Subsidized University Facilities: Students benefit from the broader IIUI campus facilities, including affordable transport services and comprehensive library access, which supports their overall academic journey.

For the most precise and current information on admission cycles, specific program details, and available financial assistance, prospective students are strongly encouraged to consult the official International Islamic University Islamabad website and directly contact the admissions offices or the respective centers (CAEPE or CIRBS) for tailored advice.

For individuals in Islamabad Capital Territory and beyond interested in the cutting-edge research and advanced academic programs offered within the Shared Block at International Islamic University Islamabad (IIUI), specifically related to CAEPE and CIRBS, here is the essential contact information:

• Physical Address: M25H+2H6, H-10, Islamabad, Pakistan (within the IIUI H-10 New Campus)
• For Centre for Advanced Electronics & Photovoltaic Engineering (CAEPE):
  • Location within IIUI: Ground Floor, Shared Block, International Islamic University, H-10, Islamabad, 44000, Pakistan.
  • Telephone: +92-51-9019927; +92-51-9019453; +92-51-9019779
  • Fax: +92-51-9258019
  • Email for Specific Queries & Corporate Usage: ahmed.shuja@iiu.edu.pk
  • Email for General Queries & First Point of Contact for Facility Access: aelp@iiu.edu.pk
• For Sulaiman Bin Abdullah Aba Al-Khail – Centre for Interdisciplinary Research in Basic Science (SA-CIRBS):
  • Location within IIUI: Al-Farabi Research Complex, SA-CIRBS, FBAS, IIUI, Sector H-10, Islamabad, Pakistan (likely within or adjacent to the Shared Block)
  • Head SA-CIRBS (Dr. Ikram Ullah):
    • Phone: (+92) 51-9019721 (General), (+92) 51-9019937 (Coordinator Office)
    • Email: ikram.ullah@iiu.edu.pk
    • Coordinator Office Email: kashif.mahmood@iiu.edu.pk
• International Islamic University Islamabad (IIUI) General Admissions:
  • Male Campus Admissions: +92-51-9257988, 9019616; admissions@iiu.edu.pk
  • Female Campus Admissions: +92-51-9019322; admissions.fc@iiu.edu.pk
• Official IIUI Website: For comprehensive and updated information on all programs, admissions, faculty, and facilities, the university's official website (www.iiu.edu.pk) is the most reliable source.

It is always recommended to verify contact details directly from the IIUI website for the most current information.

For the ambitious and technically inclined students of Islamabad Capital Territory, the Shared Block at International Islamic University Islamabad, housing pioneering centers like CAEPE and CIRBS, offers an exceptionally suitable and forward-looking pathway for higher education and research. This hub of innovation is uniquely poised to cater to the needs of our local community for several compelling reasons.

Firstly, its strategic location within the well-established H-10 educational sector of Islamabad, combined with IIUI's comprehensive transport network, ensures seamless accessibility for students from across the twin cities. This convenience removes logistical barriers, allowing our local talent to easily access world-class research facilities and highly specialized academic programs without undue travel burdens.

Secondly, the presence of centers like CAEPE and CIRBS means that Islamabad is home to facilities engaged in cutting-edge research in fields critical for Pakistan's technological and economic future. For students passionate about advanced electronics, renewable energy (photovoltaics), nanoscience, or interdisciplinary basic sciences, this block provides unparalleled access to state-of-the-art equipment and specialized laboratories that are rare elsewhere in the country. This hands-on experience in advanced research environments is invaluable for developing highly skilled professionals who can contribute directly to national development.

Furthermore, the emphasis on postgraduate programs (MS and PhD) signifies a commitment to producing not just graduates, but researchers and innovators who can push the boundaries of knowledge. The interdisciplinary approach fosters holistic problem-solving skills, preparing students for the complex challenges of the modern world. While some feedback mentions "inexperienced non permanent teachers," the core of experienced permanent faculty members provides solid mentorship and expertise, ensuring a robust learning experience. The strong linkages with industry and emphasis on national relevance also mean that the education received here is geared towards practical application and real-world impact.

Finally, as part of a public university, IIUI and its specialized centers offer more accessible fee structures compared to many private institutions, complemented by various scholarship opportunities. This commitment ensures that financial constraints do not hinder promising local students from pursuing advanced studies in critical scientific and technological fields. In essence, the Shared Block, with CAEPE and CIRBS, is more than just academic buildings; it is a vital engine for technological advancement and human capital development in Islamabad, empowering our local youth to become leaders and innovators shaping a brighter future for Pakistan.

Shared block/CAEPE/CIRBS

M25H+2H6, H-10, Islamabad, Pakistan