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Introduction
TOP
The Sustainable Development Study Centre was established in 2003 as
an interdisciplinary group at GC University Lahore, with the aim of
producing quality research work for teaching purposes, and of
advising on environmental matters. The objective was to draw on the
expertise of the Departments of Biotechnology, Botany, Chemistry,
Environmental Science and Zoology. The Centre now combines these
with the legal, economic and sociological aspects of the
environment, by collaborating with the Department of Economics and
other Social Science Departments, with particular emphasis on cross
linkages between the disciplines.
The Centre is jointly run as an interdisciplinary setup of the following
Departments: Botany, Biotechnology, Chemistry, Clinical Psychology,
Geography and Zoology. The Centre is currently focusing on research
activities encompassing sustainable livelihoods, environmental
management and community development in Pakistan. Considering the
problem of environmental degradation and related poverty issues, we hope
to pioneer a new trend for applied research to influence policy and
programmes in this area of socioeconomic development.
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The Centre has
established linkages with other institutions of higher learning in
environmental research. In this context, we have established links
with the Environmental Change Institute (ECI), University of Oxford.
This Programme is designed to enable students to undertake guided
research to fulfill their Degree requirements whilst addressing
environmental questions in developing countries. Currently, there
are 18 MPhil and 4 PhD students working for their Degrees at the
Centre. |
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SDSC Building at GCU
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 One
of the goals of the SDSC was to establish an independent Centre for
Sustainable Development at GCU. The Higher Education Commission of
Pakistan (HEC) approved a grant of Rs 9.975 million in July, 2004
for the establishment of this Centre and the Vice Chancellor, GC
University Lahore, approved an additional sum of Rs 16.025 million.
The Centre was completed in March 2007. The laboratory, library and
staff members were subsequently shifted to this Centre.
AIMS AND OBJECTIVES
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The aims and
objectives of the SDSC are to be:
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Innovative,
integrated, collaborative, and trans-disciplinary to address
Pakistans sustainability issues.
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Mobilise S&T for managing boundaries between knowledge and action.
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Postgraduate teaching in the emerging field of sustainability
science with emphasis on critical analyses and thinking.
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Building
capacity to develop SDSC as a centre of excellence in sustainability
research and teaching in Pakistan.
Facilities
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The SDSC has a
fully operational purpose-built four storey building (partially
funded by the HEC), complete with laboratories, lecture and
conference rooms, and a library. The research focus is on
Environmental Health and Urbanisation, Economics of Natural
Resources, Conservation and Restoration Ecology.
The courses which
have been developed and are offered at the BSc (Hons.), MPhil, and PhD
levels include Sustainable Development, Environmental Science,
Conservation Biology, Restoration Ecology, and Public Health and
Environment.
Future Plans
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The following
courses are being designed for the coming academic session:
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Sustainability Science: Policy and Practice.
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Role
of Environmental Laws in Governance and Sustainable Development.
The SDSC intends
to focus on the following research areas in the near future:
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Ecosystem health of the Indus Basin: long term research-utilising,
ecological and socio-economic indicators of ecosystem health.
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Impact of rural-urban interaction on ecosystem processes and
development of mitigation measures to ensure sustainability of the
rural-urban nexus.
Expected
Achievements
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Publication of innovative research in peer reviewed international
journals in broad areas of interdisciplinary research involving
intensive field work.
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Ecosystem health of the Indus Basin, a long term research-utilising,
ecological and socio-economic indicators of ecosystem health.
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Impact of interaction between rural and urban ecosystems on
ecosystem processes by developing and utilising innovative
methodologies enabling the implementation of mitigation and
restoration measures to ensure sustainability of the rural-urban
nexus.
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Functional complexity evident in environmental degradation resulting
from multiple stressors.
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Impacts of global phenomena such as ozone depletion, global warming
and long-range transportation of persistent toxic chemicals.
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Developed curricula in sustainability science at the Postgraduate
level through linkages with the University of Ottawa, Canada, and
other agencies such as IDRC, CIDA, and UNESCO.
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Established working partnerships with institutions within and
outside Pakistan.
Academic Links
The SDSC has
collaboration with the following faculty members of the University of
Ottawa:
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Dr.
S. Findlay (Institute of the Environment)
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Dr.
Dan Lane (School of Management)
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Dr.
S. Sattar (Centre for Environmental Microbiology)
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Dr. H. Jorjani
(International Research)
Academic Programmes
The SDSC offers
BSc (Hons.), MPhil and PhD Degree Programmes.
Courses
TOP
BSc (Hons.)
Environmental Science
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Year 1 |
|
Course Code |
Course Title |
Credit Hours |
Semester |
|
ENVSC 1101 |
Introduction to Environmental
Science |
3 |
I |
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ENVSC 1201 |
Fundamentals of Ecology
|
3 |
II |
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Year 2 |
|
Course Code |
Course Title |
Credit Hours |
Semester |
|
ENVSC 2101 |
Chemistry of the Environment
|
3 |
III |
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ENVSC 2201 |
Physics of the Environment |
3 |
IV |
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ENVSC 2202 |
Fundamental Monitoring
(Air, Water, Soil & Noise) |
3 |
IV |
|
ENVSC 2202 |
Fundamental Monitoring
(Air, Water, Soil & Noise) |
1 |
IV |
|
Year 3 |
|
Course Code |
Course Title |
Credit Hours |
Semester |
|
ENVSC 3101 |
Introductory Economics
|
3 |
V |
|
ENVSC 3102 |
Applied Ecology |
3 |
V |
|
ENVSC 3102 |
Applied Ecology |
1 |
V |
|
ENVSC 3103 |
Fundamentals of Earth Sciences |
3 |
V |
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ENVSC 3104 |
Environmental Microbiology
|
3 |
V |
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ENVSC 3104 |
Environmental Microbiology
|
1 |
V |
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ENVSC 3105 |
Environmental Toxicology
|
3 |
V |
|
ENVSC 3201 |
History and Philosophy of
Environmental Thought |
3 |
VI |
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ENVSC 3202 |
Environmental Polices &
Regulations |
3 |
VI |
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ENVSC 3203 |
Environmental & Natural
Resource Economics |
3 |
VI |
|
ENVSC 3204 |
Environmental Technology
|
3 |
VI |
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ENVSC 3204 |
Environmental Technology
|
1 |
VI |
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ENVSC 3205 |
Natural Resource Management
|
3 |
VI |
|
Year 4 |
|
Course Code |
Course Title |
Credit Hours |
Semester |
|
ENVSC 4101 |
Conservation Biology |
3 |
VII |
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ENVSC 4101 |
Conservation Biology |
1 |
VII |
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ENVSC 4102 |
Environmental Impact
Assessment |
3 |
VII |
|
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Elective I |
3 |
VII |
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Elective II |
3 |
VII |
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ENVSC 4299 |
Research Project / Internship
|
3 |
VII |
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ENVSC 4201 |
Environmental Management
Systems |
3 |
VIII |
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ENVSC 4202 |
Remote Sensing and GIS |
3 |
VIII |
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ENVSC 4202 |
Remote Sensing and GIS |
1 |
VIII |
|
|
Elective III |
3 |
VIII |
|
|
Elective IV |
3 |
VIII |
|
ENVSC 4299 |
Research Project/Internship
|
3 |
VIII |
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List of Elective Papers |
|
Course Code |
Course Title |
Credit Hours |
|
ENVSC 4203 |
Health and Environment |
2 |
|
ENVSC 4203P |
Health and Environment
|
1 |
|
ENVSC 4204 |
Data Analysis |
2 |
|
ENVSC 4204P |
Data Analysis |
1 |
|
ENVSC 4205 |
Environmental Biotechnology |
2 |
|
ENVSC 4205P |
Environmental Biotechnology
|
1 |
|
ENVSC 4206 |
Environmental Governance |
2 |
|
ENVSC 4206P |
Environmental Governance
|
1 |
|
ENVSC 4207 |
Water Resource Management |
2 |
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ENVSC 4207P |
Water Resource Management
|
1 |
|
Year 1 |
|
Course Code |
Course Title |
Credit Hours |
Semester |
|
ENVSC 1101 |
Introduction to Environmental
Science |
3 |
I |
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ENVSC 1201 |
Fundamentals of Ecology
|
3 |
II |
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Year 2 |
|
Course Code |
Course Title |
Credit Hours |
Semester |
|
ENVSC 2101 |
Chemistry of the Environment
|
3 |
III |
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ENVSC 2201 |
Physics of the Environment |
3 |
IV |
|
Year 1 |
|
Course Code |
Course Title |
Credit Hours |
Semester |
|
ENVSC 7101 |
Conservation Biology
|
4 |
I |
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ENVSC 7102 |
Stress Physiology |
4 |
I |
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ENVSC 7103 |
Science of Sustainability
|
4 |
I |
|
ENVSC 7201 |
Aquaculture Practices and
Management |
4 |
II |
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ENVSC 7202 |
Sustainable Development &
Environmental Economics |
4 |
II |
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ENVSC 7203 |
Public Health & Environment
|
4 |
II |
|
Year 2 |
|
Course Code |
Course Title |
Credit Hours |
Semester |
|
ENVSC 7499 |
Thesis |
12 |
III & IV |
Ph.D Environmental Science
The Sustainable Development Study Centre
offers 18 Credit Hour PhD in the following disciplines:
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No. |
Discipline |
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1 |
Climate Change and Natural Resource Management |
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2 |
Waste Water Engineering |
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3 |
Aquaculture and Water Resource Management |
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4 |
Science of Sustainability |
Faculty
TOP
Sustainability Science, being an interdisciplinary and
transdisciplinary science, requires partnerships with individuals as
well as institutions dedicated to research and teaching in various
disciplines of science and humanities. As part of the continuing
process of capacity building in sustainability science, the recently
established Sustainable Development Study Centre (SDSC) has been
actively pursuing the development of partnerships with relevant
individuals and institutions in Pakistan and overseas. As a first
step in this regard, the SDSC has identified the following GCU
faculty members as partners in pursuit of its objectives and goals:
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