History

Faculty of Computing and Information Technology (FCIT) was established in January, 2021. The unprecedented growth of Computer and Information Technology sector, both nationally and internationally, provided the impetus for the establishment of four distinct departments under the umbrella of FCIT; namely Department of Computer Science, Department of Software Engineering, Department of Information Technology and Department of Data Science. Prior to the establishment of FCIT, PUCIT was placed under the Faculty of Science. Given the significance and impact of computing, the establishment of an independent computing faculty became the need of the hour.

In the year 1988, the Center for Computer Science was established in the Center for Solid State Physics, Quaid-e-Azam Campus, Lahore. In a short span of three years that is on September 10, 1991 the Center was upgraded to Department of Computer Science and was made part of Faculty of Engineering and Technology on September 18, 1991. Later the department was made a part of Faculty of Science in October, 2000. On November 11, 2000, the Department of Computer Science was upgraded to a Constituent College and was named Punjab University College of Information Technology (PUCIT). Furthermore, the GIS Center became a part of PUCIT on September 8, 2004 but later started working in an independent capacity from October 31, 2014.

The first degree program offered by the Center for Computer Science was a one-year Post Graduate Diploma (PGD) in Computer Science. 24 students were registered in this program during the first year. Whereas, after the establishment of the Department of Computer Science a 2-year Post Graduate Diploma (PGD) leading to MSc in Computer Science was offered. The College also launched a 4-year BSc (Honors) in Computer Science program in November 2000. The classes of the new program started in January 2001 with 180 students. The PGD leading to MSc in Computer Science was converted to MSc in Computer Science in February 2001. The College launched 4-year Bachelor of Science in Information Technology (BIT), 2-year Master in Information Technology (MIT), Master in Electronic Commerce (M. E-Com), and 3-year MPhil leading to PhD in Computer Science in 2003. MS/MPhil Computer Science and MSc GIS programs were launched in 2006 and BS Software Engineering in 2007.

Apart from offering various academic programs PUCIT also established its own Internet Service Provider (ISP) and a software house, Agile Technologies, for automating key business processes in the College and bridging the gap between industry and academia.

The College started infrastructure renovation work in June 2006 and renovated the old faculty offices, constructed 30 new faculty offices, installed new multimedia equipment and PCs in lecture rooms and computer labs, purchased new PCs for the GIS Centre lab, installed underground campus computer network and upgraded the library as well.

The first ever PC-1 since the establishment of the College was submitted to the Education Department Government of Punjab in May 2007 for Rs. 11.3 Million funding for upgrading IT infrastructure of the College. The funding was released in June 2007 and used to purchase 200 new PCs for labs and three high-end server class machines. Two more PC-1 documents were submitted for Rs. 99.61 Million funding from the HEC to build the Software Engineering Block and Rs. 74.36 Million funding from the Education Department Government of Punjab to construct a multi-purpose building, upgrade lab infrastructure, establish final-year project labs, construct 10 start-up incubators, and establish wireless “hot spots” throughout the College. Process for the construction of two new buildings through College and University funds was initiated in June and July 2007.

Furthermore, the land for PUCIT New Campus was acquired in 2009 and the GIS Center building was inaugurated on December 30, 2011. The Computer Science floor in the GIS Center building was completed in 2013 and the IT Center building at PUCIT New Campus became functional in 2014.

Moreover, the idea to build a campus based Software Technology Park (STP), to promote and facilitate industry-academia linkages, was materialized on September 19, 2018 with the groundbreaking ceremony at PUCIT New Campus.

With the restructuring of the University of the Punjab and the consequent emergence of four distinct departments under the Faculty of Computing and Information Technology (FCIT), the construction of a new academic block was approved. The foundation stone laying ceremony of the new Academic Block was held at PUCIT New Campus on June 10, 2021.