The Higher Education Commission has been set up by the Government of Pakistan to facilitate the development of indigenous universities to be world-class centers of education, research and development. Through facilitating this process, the HEC intends to play its part in spearheading the building of a knowledge-based economy in Pakistan.
Following past decades of underinvestment, the renewed realisation of the Government of Pakistan of the importance of the higher education sector towards fuelling economic growth led to the establishment of the Higher Education Commission in 2002. Founded by Presidential Ordinance No LIII in September 2002, the Commission has been entrusted with a broad mandate to evaluate, improve and promote the higher education and research sector in Pakistan.
The reform agenda has been supported through the granting of a large array of powers to the Commission to fulfil its mandate, and record increases in financial resources by the Government to support this process. With the visionary leadership of Pakistan's leading scientist and advocate of reform, Professor Dr Atta-ur-Rahman at the helm of the organisation, the HEC has initiated a process of reform of an unprecedented scale and pace.
Since its establishment, the Higher Education Commission has undertaken a systematic process of implementation of the five-year agenda for reform outlined in the HEC Medium Term Development Framework (MTDF), in which Access, Quality and Relevance have been identified as the key challenges faced by the sector.
To address these challenges a comprehensive strategy has been defined that identifies the core strategic aims for reform as (i) Faculty Development, (ii) Improving Access, (iii) Excellence in Learning and Research, and (iv) Relevance to National Priorities. These strategic aims are supported by well-integrated cross-cutting themes for developing Leadership, Governance and Management, enhancing Quality Assessment and Accreditation and Physical and Technological Infrastructure Development.
The Higher Education Commission aims to achieve its targets and objectives through an operational approach which focuses on transparency, public participation and organisational efficiency. The organisation operates under the leadership of the Chairman, who is granted the status of a Federal Minister, and the Executive Director who is appointed as the head of the Secretariat and is responsible for the implementation of the orders, directives and policies of the Commission. The HEC is further divided into various departments, headed by Members and Advisors who manage major activities of the Commission.
The HEC consistently strives to achieve administrative excellence and transparency, and aims to set an example for good governance through the implementation management practices at the HEC itself, including modern e-government solutions, which may then be replicated in educational institutions across the country.
The Publications Division of Higher Education Commission (HEC) is engaged in disseminating information, promoting awareness and understanding of the different initiatives taken by HEC about the higher education sector of the country. Although the Division has to perform a number of functions but production of the monthly magazine 'HEC News and View' is its main portfolio. In addition to the HEC Magazine, the Publication Division is responsible to develop an Annual report of HEC which it has been doing since the inception of the organisation.
It has also worked to produce the Handbook of Universities of Pakistan 2005. The Publication Division also participates with private sector agencies to upholding Exhibitions for the Education Sector. And in the past two years it has collaborated with Dawn News Group and Jang Group in holding Exhibitions in the major cities of Pakistan whereby the students are informed of HEC activities and queries pertaining to IT and Attestation and Scholarship Programs . In routine activities it develops brochures, leaflets and other publicity matters for HEC.
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