The Venue
Since its inception in 1976, the Summer College has traditionally been held at Nathiagali, a scenic hill resort lodged in the sylvan slopes of the lower Himalayan range at a height of 2600 meters. It is two to three hours drive towards the North-East of Islamabad, the capital city of Pakistan.
Nathiagali has been gifted with unparalleled scenic beauty, peace and tranquility. A small village, known only to those seeking escape from the heat and wanting to enjoy natural beauty, it became the venue of annual activity of intellectual discourse of the highest level in this part of the world. A few Colleges were also held in Islamabad and Bhurban, a nearby hill resort.
Weather and Clothing
The weather in Nathiagali during summer is pleasant, with temperatures ranging from 15 C at night to 30 C during the day. Evenings can get quite cool. The monsoons are unpredictable and unexpected storms accompanied by short bursts of hail may turn the air chilly. Participants would be well advised to bring some warm clothing along with tropical wear of summer. One should also be prepared for occasional downpour.
The weather in Islamabad during summer is quite hot, with temperatures ranging from 20C at night to mid-forties during the day. The monsoons are unpredictable and unexpected rains may turn the evenings quite pleasant.
The other cities in the plains like Lahore, Peshawar and Karachi are also very warm during summers with the normal temperature usually rising to mid-forties in the afternoon. The Northern areas of the country including Swat, Kaghan, Gilgit, Chitral and Hunza are quite cold during summer as well. Participants desirous of going to Northern Areas on excursion trips would be well advised to bring some warm clothing along with light woolen and tropical summer wear.
Accommodation and Transportation
The College is wholly residential. All the delegates from abroad and other cities of Pakistan will be accommodated in hotels, providing full board and lodge.
Transportation from Islamabad to Nathiagali and back will be available according to the schedule of arrivals and departures. Foreign participants and those arriving from other cities will be picked up from Islamabad Airport, provided information of arrival schedule is given to the College organizers well in advance. For assistance in travelling schedule and arrangements, please contact members of the Organizing Committee of the College.
College Time Table
Sundays, and in some cases Saturdays as well, are the off-days throughout Pakistan. The week of the College is from Monday through Saturday. The general format of the College consists of four to five one-hour lectures in the morning sessions beginning around 8:30 a.m. and informal discussions, specialized seminars and colloquia, and poster presentations in the afternoons. The College timetable and the arrangements of daily scientific sessions would be circulated at the start of each week's programme.
Poster Sessions
Research contributions to be displayed in the form of posters may be handed over to the scientific coordinator/members of the organizing committee responsible for lecture hall arrangements. The contributing scientists are expected to be available with their presentations for discussion. The time of their availability may be indicated on the posters.
Abstracts and proceedings
The proceedings of the previous Colleges have appeared in the form of ten volumes entitled "Physics and Contemporary Needs". Some earlier volumes have been published by Plenum Press and World Scientific while the more recent ones have been published locally or through Nova Science Publishers. The proceedings of the 24thCollege will be published as soon as most of the papers are received. The camera-ready manuscript (in English) prepared in accordance with the instructions should be handed over to the Organizing Committee. Abstracts of lectures, contributed seminars and poster presentations will be provided to all participants before the commencement of the scientific programme. Abstract of the papers should include: (i) title of the paper, (ii) full names of all the authors with the name of the presenting author underlined, (iii) affiliation, and (iv) a hundred word text summarizing the main contents.
College Library
A modest library is established at the College with a collection relating to the topics of the scientific programme. In addition, books of general interest, daily newspapers and magazines are also available.
Social and Recreational Activities
Enough time would be available during evenings and over the week-ends for informal discussions and cultural and social interactions among the participants. Apart from indoor games, arrangements have been made for the screening of films on cultural heritage and holding of musical evenings where a multinational participation reflects a true picture of international fraternity.
Arrival and departure schedules permitting, participants are taken for a round of the twin cities of Rawalpindi/ Islamabad and nearby places of interest like Taxila, the archaeological site dating back to the fifth century. There are several hiking trails and countless natural pathways in the nearby Margalla hills national park. The atmosphere is truly inspiring to the outdoor lover. Hiking in the Margallas affords the opportunity to walk through the numerous valleys and along the ridges and for taking bath in the cold waters of the natural springs in the rock pools surrounded coolness and a rich variety of flora and fauna. A topographic map is available as a guide for the enthusiasts.
Visits to nearby hill resorts and tourists attractions at Murree, Ayubia and Nathiagali will be arranged. Tours of picturesque Northern Areas of Pakistan and the city of Lahore may be arranged for the interested participants and faculty members . For further information and a guided tour, please contact members of the organizing committee.