22 Vcs Committee Meeting Hails Dr. Banuri As New HEC Chairperson
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Higher Education Commission - Pakistan July-August 2018 22nd VCs Committee Meeting Hails Dr. Banuri as New HEC Chairperson P - 2 Chairman HEC kicks off Tree Plantation Drive P - 14 nd Table of Contents 22 VCs Committee Meeting Hails Dr. 2 Tariq Banuri as New 5 HEC, NBP Launches Online Scholarship HEC Chairperson Disbursement Mechanism 6 HEC to Invest in Students 7 Chairman HEC Meets President Mamnoon Hussain Chairman HEC Emphasises 9 US Assistant Secretary on Educational, 4 Protecting Rights of Cultural Affairs Calls on Chairperson Students 9 HEC to Strengthen Academic Linkages with Mauritius: Chairman HEC Workshop on BS Programme Structure, HEC Deliberates on 11 Semester Examination System Collaboration in Agricultural 8 Sensitising Universities on Environmental Research 13 Sustainability HEC Encourages Universities to Plant Trees, 14 Contribute for Dams News & Views is published after every two months. No part of this 15 HEC Chairman Stresses Strengthening of publication may be reproduced in Academic, Research Alliances any form without prior written HEC Consultative Meeting on Improving permission of the publisher. 16 permission of the publisher. Academic Governance The views expressed by authors in HEC Urges Varsities to Uphold Academic 17 the articles are their sole Standards responsibility and not of HEC. The Commission would like to thank all 18 Chairman HEC for Market Study to Identify the institutions and individuals Required, Obsolete Academic Programmes who contributed information and photographs for this Magazine. 22 HEC, TDF Awareness Seminars in HEIs Editor Aayesha Ikram Graphic Designer Raja Ahmad Nadeem Publisher: Reporter Higher Education Syed Muhammad Ittifaq Commission, Pakistan Declaration for Uplift of Higher Education 22nd VCs Committee Meeting Hails Dr. Banuri as New HEC Chairperson The 22nd meeting of Vice Chancellors Committee was research, service, university leadership, HEC’s recently held in which 130 VCs and representatives internal processes, universities autonomy, and of provincial higher education departments funding to universities need to be focused. He said participated. that we have to support our students in becoming whatever they want to become. He emphasised that The meeting, chaired by Dr. Masoom Yasinzai, the academia must be a guardian of the rights of Chairman, VCs Committee, welcomed Prof. Dr. Tariq students. He underlined the significance of quality of Banuri on joining the Higher Education Commission teaching and proposed revival of National Academy (HEC) as its Chairperson. of Higher Education (NAHE) to conduct trainings for in-service and new faculty members. Extending his gratitude to the university heads, Dr. Banuri thanked the selection committee for He urged the VCs to consider devising Recruitment, reposing confidence in him. “I will do my best to live Promotion and Tenure (RPT) System to develop the up to the Government’s expectations,” he stated. criteria for faculty development. He emphasised the need for taking steps to improve quality of research He appreciated his predecessors, Dr. Atta-ur- produced by universities across Pakistan. He urged Rehman, Dr. Javed Laghari, and Dr. Mukhtar Ahmed the VCs to contemplate over revival of disciplinary for their contributions to the higher education learned societies in order to strengthen the research sector. “I want to build up on the achievements of culture in the country. He expressed his views on the my predecessors,” he said. He thanked the VCs need for measures to avoid academic leadership Committee for organising the meeting and said, “My gaps and suggested chalking out a succession purpose to meet you is to reflect on five objectives system to train potential university leaders. i.e. having a detailed interaction with you; starting to work together; sharing my own vision; developing Referring to universities autonomy, he revealed that national consensus on initiatives for development of HEC is committed to autonomy of universities, high education sector; and, solving the problems however, we need to evolve milestones which facing the sector collaboratively.” He stated that, it is universities will pass through and earn autonomous our responsibility to address the problems that status. He said autonomy needs to be extended history has thrown into our lap. step-by-step, adding that autonomy must be supplemented by accountability. He observed that He shared his plan for the development of higher HEC, Pakistan and provincial HECs are on the same education, strengthening universities and pursuing page with regard to autonomy of universities. the HEC objectives including focus on access, quality and relevance. He stressed the need for evolving a He underlined that at least 10 or 12 universities must ‘right order of priorities’ to move forward. He initially earn autonomy and guide other universities affirmed that issues pertaining to students, faculty, to fulfil the requirements. Dr. Banuri said efforts are 2 needed to ensure gender parity in faculty enhancing research quality; enhancing the quality development and student enrolment. He also and employment prospects of Pakistani PhDs; emphasised on promotion of entrepreneurship and capacity building of university faculty, leadership increasing investment for human resource and managerial staff; government financing of development. Highlighting the importance of higher education, protecting the students’ rights; progress in Information Technology, he said IT has and, enhancing quality and currency of educational brought novel solutions to issues of almost all material published in national languages. spheres of life. Concluding his remarks, he underscored that, “we The VCs shared their input and agreed upon the have to confront prevailing problems, finding following declaration: solutions to them by thinking collectively”. Ÿ We welcome the appointment of Dr. Tariq Banuri He announced establishing a steering committee, as Chairman Higher Education Commission and headed by Dr. Ishrat Hussain, to ponder upon the resolve to work together for promotion of recommendations made by the 22nd VCs Committee higher education under his leadership. Meeting and propose solutions to the problems Ÿ Students are the primary stakeholders for higher facing the higher education sector. He said the education and we all must protect the right to Council of Common Interest has clarified the status quality education for all students. of HEC, Pakistan and provincial HECs. Ÿ Good quality faculty is essential for imparting quality education, and helping our students Answering the questions of VCs at the end, he compete at global level. Efforts are needed to stressed the need for strengthening accreditation ensure availability of quality faculty for public bodies, evolving a system to promote translation of and private sector universities. literature, promoting extra-curricular activities, Ÿ The government must allocate four per cent of coming up with an agenda on resource sharing, GDP for education with at least one per cent for improving quality of private universities, higher education to increase the access to strengthening systematic award of scholarships, and university education, enhance its quality, and ensuring effective resource management. ensure wider socio-economic impact on society. Ÿ More responsible autonomous universities with In his welcome address, Dr. Yasinzai said universities monitorable, reportable and verifiable system of play important role in socio-economic development governance is essential. of a country. He added that VCs welcome the new Ÿ We demand that there should be no external Chairperson HEC to become part of academic interference in university affairs. fraternity. He maintained that VCs acknowledge the Ÿ HEC must conduct trainings leading to services of Dr. Ahmed, former Chairman HEC, i m p r o v e d g o v e r n a n c e a n d fi n a n c i a l pledging that they will carry forward his mission. management in universities. “Strengthening universities is a common cause and Ÿ Evolve a transparent higher education system we all are together for this cause,” he concluded. by utilising information technology for good governance and quality education delivery. The VCs stressed the need for increased budgetary Ÿ Ensure gender parity in faculty, student allocation to education, especially the higher enrolment and appointment of university education sector. The VCs were divided into various leaders. groups to discuss themes including review of TTS; Ÿ HEC should support the development of learned enhancing university autonomy; harnessing IT; societies in all fields, including Humanities, Basic improving HEC processes; gender policy; enhancing and Social Sciences, so that country can produce efficiency in university operations; financial scholars of international eminence. sustainability of universities; student and alumni Ÿ We request HEC to review and streamline its relationships; enhancing quality and value of distant operating procedures in order to enhance learning programmes; enhancing teaching quality; service delivery. 3 Chairman HEC Emphasises Protecting Rights of Students The rights of students must be protected, as they are the primary stakeholders of higher education sector. Prof. Dr. Tariq Banuri, Chairman, HEC stated this while addressing a press conference at the Commission Secretariat. He emphasised on steps to protect student rights in order to cater to the needs of next generations and enable students to become successful in life. He maintained that a number of measures need to be