The Kinnaird College for Women (KCW) is a university located in Lahore, Pakistan. It is a women's liberal arts university.
Kinnaird was established in 1913 by the Zenana Bible and Medical Mission. In 1919, Presbyterian Mission Church and the Church Mission Society joined a consortium to fund and operate the college. In 1926, it moved to its current campus on the Jail Road, where it grew over the years. By 1939, the college had grown into a campus.
The college is named after Lady Mary Jane Kinnaird, co-founder of YWCA and a great philanthropist of her time. The now university was established at the start of the 20th century when it was housed near Kinnaird High School. In 2002, college was given the status of government degree awarding institution and its administration was handed over to Association of Kinnaird College. Its board of governors run its administration.
History Kinnaird College was founded in 1913 by the Zenana and Bible Medical Mission when they started college classes at Kinnaird Christian Girls' High School in Lahore.Maskiell, Michelle. “Social Change and Social Control: College-Educated Punjabi Women 1913 to 1960.” Modern Asian Studies, vol. 19, no. 1, 1985, pp. 55–83. JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/312321. Accessed 19 Sept. 2020. The founders wished to give Punjabi Christian women the opportunity to gain professional qualifications as teachers. The first principal was Joan MacDonald.
From 1913 to 1922, the college was the only women's liberal arts college in the Punjab. In its initial years, college life was designed for the predominately Christian student body and on graduation many students found employment in the mission school network. The popularity of missionary schools among non-Christian families, with their emphasis on English language teaching and the chance to study with British and American teachers, led to a demand for the type of graduate teachers produced by the college.
In 1928, Isabella McNair became principal of the college. McNair believed that women's education should be intellectually equal to men's and alumnae encouraged to be active in public life. During the 1930s, admission standards, teacher/pupil ratios, extracurruclar activities and a fee schedule set Kinnaird apart as the region's most prestigious women's college. The demographics had also shifted with a majority of pupils now coming from middle to upper class Hindu families, where an English education from a leading women's college was regarded as an important step in arranging a good marriage.
After Partition in 1947, the University of the Punjab Senate decided to replace English with Urdu as the medium of instruction and examination for higher education. Despite this change, Kinnaird continued to offer women higher education in newly created Pakistan and added science courses, typing, nursing and social work to its curriculum. Partition however significantly altered the student body, with Muslims, a minority at Kinnaird before 1947, now becoming a large majority.
In 1972, the Pakistani government nationalised all private schools and colleges, including Kinnaird. In 2002, Kinnaird college was given Charter of Degree Awarding institution and the board of governor was set up to run its administration.
Degrees and courses Kinnaird launched its honors program in 2003, the four year bachelors followed by a dissertation. An honors degree is available in the following subjects:
Biochemistry Botany English Literature English Language and Linguistics Environmental Science Statistics Food and Nutrition Psychology Physics French Political Science Law Media Studies International Relations Urdu Business Administration Zoology Geography Economics Mathematics Computer Science Biotechnology
One and two year master's degrees are available in the following: English Literature Environmental Science International Relations English Literature English Language Teaching Business Administration Media Studies
M.Phil. degree offered in: Computer Science Statistics Environmental Science English Literature International Relations English Language Teaching
Radio Kinnaird 97.6 FM Radio Kinnaird 97.6 FM is a campus radio of Kinnaird College for Women University. The test transmission of this radio channel was started in June 2010.
Principals 1913-1928: Joan McDonald 1928-1950: Isabella McNair 1950-1969: Mangat Rai 1972-2004: Mira Phailbus 2004-2005: Ira Hasan 2005-2009: Mira Phailbus 2009-2010: Bernadette Louise Dean 2010-2024: Rukhsana David 2024–present: Dr. Iram Anjum
Notable alumni
Fawzia Afzal-Khan, professor Zubeida Agha, artist Vaneeza Ahmad, model, actress Sheherezade Alam, ceramist Gurbinder Kaur Brar, politician Sana Bucha, journalist and TV anchor Gul Bukhari, journalist Bushra Anjum Butt, politician Madeeha Gauhar, actress Maha Raja, lawyer, politician Muneeza Hashmi, actress Farzana Hassan, author and activist Shamim Hilaly, actress Tasneem Zehra Husain, physicist Nasira Iqbal, judge Zeb Jaffar, politician Asma Jahangir, lawyer and activist Kanza Javed, author Nida Jay, author, educationist Kamini Kaushal, actress Juggan Kazim, actress, TV presenter Sara Raza Khan, singer Hadiqa Kiani, singer Sabeen Mahmud, human rights activist Jugnu Mohsin, journalist Savera Nadeem, actress Afia Nathaniel, writer, director, producer Musarrat Nazir, musician, actress Bano Qudsia, author Zainab Qayyum, model, actress, TV presenter Hima Raza, poet Huma Anwar, Translator and Editor Begum Akhtar Riazuddin, activist, author Irtiza Rubab, actress Shunila Ruth, politician Ayesha Sana, actress, host Rubina Saigol, activist, educationalist Shabnam Shakeel, poet Ayesha Siddiqa, political scientist Bapsi Sidhwa, author Sara Suleri, author, professor Tahira Syed, ghazal singer Kashmala Tariq, politician Shahzadi Umerzadi Tiwana, politician Naseem Zehra, journalist, anchor
References
External links
Kinnaird College