Photo: Express
Islamabad: Dr. Mukhtar Ahmed, Chairman of the Higher Education Commission, said that the problems of universities cannot be solved solely through federal funding; provincial governments also need to provide funding for the financial issues of universities.
Speaking to journalists, the HEC Chairman Dr. Mukhtar Ahmed said that Sindh has allocated substantial funding for universities in the province, which they appreciate. Dr. Mukhtar Ahmed said that the provincial governments of Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Balochistan, and Azad Kashmir should also provide funding for the resolution of university issues so that the universities can address their financial problems. Universities should also pay attention to administrative and financial issues.
It was stated that in order to ensure the provision of quality education in top educational institutions from both the public and private sectors, measures are being taken to ensure a 100% guarantee of quality education. In case of any deficiency in quality education, no compromise will be made and immediate action will be taken.
A few days ago, the educational programs of a public sector university were shut down and restrictions were placed on student admissions, so public and private sector universities should develop their own methods to ensure the provision of quality education.
It was said that the top universities of the public and private sectors that ensure the provision of quality education and do not compromise on quality education do need to establish campuses abroad in other countries, but it is not possible for everyone to start opening their own campus abroad.
Dr. Mukhtar Ahmed said a procedure is being devised for this purpose, and once the university fulfills it, it will be allowed to open campuses abroad. It was revealed that meetings have been held with the UK government and universities in the UK wanting to open their campuses in Pakistan, and Pakistan has also discussed with them opening campuses of Pakistani universities in the UK. In this regard, the UK leadership will visit Pakistan in April 2024, during which important agreements will be finalized, and similar deals will be made with other countries as well.
It was said that in 2018, the Higher Education Commission was given the same budget as it is receiving now. This is why the problems of universities are increasing. We have increased coordination with the provinces. Meetings have been held with the ministers of the Balochistan government to seek cooperation for addressing the issues of the province’s universities.
He stated that the Sindh government has allocated funds for provincial universities. Similarly, Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Balochistan, and Azad Kashmir also need to allocate funds for the financial issues of universities, as issues will not be resolved solely through federal funding.
In addition to the provincial governments, universities also need to focus on the resolution of administrative and financial issues. As the Chairman of the HEC, after taking over the charge, internal issues of the HEC were resolved, making the system stronger, and working on promotion of higher education, provision of quality education, and handling the issues facing universities.
Undergraduate and graduate programs at universities have been addressed, and training processes have begun. Efforts are being made towards the affiliation policy, online education policy, artificial intelligence (AI), technology, and system approach.
It was stated that universities are being exempted from mandatory NOCs for any new projects or initiatives, and universities are being given autonomy. The affiliation policy is being revised. The Vice Chancellors’ meeting will finalize the policy.
It was said that modern data centers have been set up in Karachi and Lahore, which will allow access to information and data securely. These data centers are an important step towards making universities digitized and strengthening their IT infrastructure. The newly established data center has achieved international acceptance.
The data center has been awarded the “Design Document Certification” credit by the Telecommunications Industry Association (TIA) 942, which is a source of pride and reaffirms the hard work of Pakistan’s IT sector. The TIA accredited “Rated3” is considered the most reputable standard for the design and construction of data centers according to global standards, which the HEC’s data center has achieved. This certification is essential for ensuring the highest standards, scalability, security, and efficiency of the new data center.
It was mentioned that the HEC has fulfilled the promise of providing superior servers that are capable of fulfilling the requirements of cloud computing and high-performance computing (HPC), data storage, and ensuring strong connections. The establishment of this data center is a testament to the HEC’s dedication to the development of technical infrastructure in higher education.
They also said that they are in talks with NADRA to further secure and make student data more effective, and each student’s educational records will be available on their national identity card number, showing from which educational institutions they obtained their education.
It was said that the Higher Education Commission, the British Council, and the Prime Minister’s Youth Programme have established a new partnership for collaboration in their flagship programs, with the aim of involving Pakistani youth in the economic and social development of the country.
It was mentioned that the partnership’s objective is to focus on the results of the Prime Minister’s Youth Programme, the HEC’s Green Youth Movement, and the British Council’s Pakistan Youth Leadership Executive, which aims to equip Green Youth Movement clubs with necessary capabilities and technical assistance, develop training materials, and establish domestic and international relationships between Green Youth Movement clubs and other developmental partners to enhance the impact of youth actions.
Dr. Mukhtar Ahmed said that these clubs have been established in 137 universities, and in the coming days, clubs will be established in all universities.
He mentioned that all three partners will work together to develop the capacity to meet the challenges of Pakistan’s youth, and play a significant role in controlling these challenges.