Two more women varsities to be set up: HEC
By: Asma Ghani
ISLAMABAD – The two-day fifth Vice Chancellors’ Committee meeting ended on Friday with pledges to meet the targets set in the National Education Policy 2009 for higher education sector.
Over 125 vice-chancellors and rectors from public and private sector universities attended the meeting held under the auspices of the Higher Education Commission (HEC).
Later, the vice-chancellors and rectors addressed a press conference. Dr Javed R. Laghari, Chairman of HEC, was also present on the event.
Dr Laghari informed the media parsons that the Commission would establish two women universities in Sukkur and Multan to end gender disparity in the field of higher education. He said PhD faculty in the universities across the country was nearly 10 per cent, which was very low. In coming years scholarships for PhD would be doubled to increases PhD faculty in the universities.
Dr Laghari said that the access to higher education would be increased to 10 per cent by 2015. He said that HEC would ensure that private institutions and affiliated colleges are also given special attention so as to streamline the entire higher education sector.
The vice-chancellors of public and private universities pledged to enhance teaching quality and research despite the financial crunch. They resolved that the culture of transparency and merit would be further strengthened in the higher education sector, with a special focus on the underdeveloped areas of the country.
The vice-chancellors’ meeting is an annual event that provides an opportunity to the university heads to share their experiences and streamline the processes so that entire higher education sector can work in synergy. They expressed solidarity in upholding HEC’s mission to bring about socio-economic change and empowering the country by providing world-class graduates.
The vice-chancellors and rectors vowed to find means to generate resources other than the government funding. The meeting stressed that teaching and research at universities must be tied to the socio-economic development of Pakistan.
While lauding initiatives of HEC during the last seven years, the VCs said that Pakistan has a vibrant university sector and, due to HEC efforts, research has been recognized as a key responsibility of the university and country has now an internationally compatible academic system in place.
Source: The Nation
Date:10/17/2009
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