The Higher Education Commission (HEC) has taken serious note that some private universities and degree-awarding institutions, established under the charter granted by the provincial governments, are operating unlawfully in the territorial jurisdiction of other provinces.
The whole operation is being carried out without completing the mandatory legal requirements of soliciting permission from the education departments of the respective provinces and the public universities, which is a clear violation of the of the Public Sector Universities Act, a HEC press release said here on Friday.
It said there were also a number of instances where the campuses had been established or private institutions had been affiliated by a university in another province.
The HEC release quoted the example of Al-Khair University and Mohiuddin University with the charter from the Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) government.
Similarly, the Preston Institute of Management Science and Technology (Pimsat), Karachi, and Iqra University, Karachi, having charter from the government of Sindh, had established branches in other provinces of the country, it said, adding these institutions were operating in the jurisdiction of other provinces in violation of their own charters of establishment.
The government of Pakistan and Higher Education Commission has clearly laid down procedure for a university/institute, desirous of extending its operations in other provinces.
The sponsors of such affiliated colleges were desired to abide by the provisions of law while seeking affiliation with universities chartered in other provinces, the HEC press release said.
The HEC appealed to the students, especially the parents, to ensure the accredited status of a university/institution and the campuses or affiliated colleges of the chartered universities before taking admission in such colleges, universities and institutions as it would not be possible to verify/attest or grant equivalence of such degrees obtained from such institutions.
It said this was only to clarify the situation for the information of the general public regarding such institutions, which were putting up misleading advertisements in the press with the claim of either representing foreign universities/institutions, or having degree awarding status.
LIST: The HEC released a list of the chartered universities/institutions, which are 97 in number - 53 in public and 44 in private sectors.
The following are recognised universities/ degree-awarding institutions in the public and private sectors:
FEDERAL CAPITAL AREA: Air University, Islamabad; Allama Iqbal Open University, Islamabad; Bahria University, Islamabad; Comsats Institute of Information Technology, Islamabad.
Federal Urdu University of Arts, Sciences and Technology, Islamabad; International Islamic University, Islamabad; National University of Modern Languages, Islamabad.
National University of Sciences and Technology, Rawalpindi; Pakistan Institute of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Islamabad; Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad.
Virtual University of Pakistan, Lahore; Foundation University, Islamabad; National University of Computer and Emerging Sciences, Islamabad; and Riphah International University, Islamabad.
AZAD JAMMU AND KASHMIR: University of Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Muzaffarabad, Azad Kahsmir, Muzaffarabad; Al-Khair University, AJK; and Mohiuddin Islamic University, AJK.
Balochistan: Balochistan University of Engineering and Technology, Khuzdar; Balochistan University of Information Technology and Management Sciences, Quetta; University of Balochistan, Quetta; and Iqra University, Quetta.
NORTHERN AREA: Karakurum International University, Gilgit.
NWFP: Gomal University, D. I. Khan; Hazara University, Dodhial, Mansehra; Institute of Management Science, Peshawar; Kohat University of Science and Technology, Kohat.
Military College of Engineering, Risalpur; NWFP University of Agriculture, Peshawar; NWFP University of Engineering and Technology, Peshawar; Pakistan Military Academy, Abbottabad; University of Malakand, Chakdara, Dir, Malakand.
University of Peshawar, Peshawar; CECOS University of Information Technology and Emerging Sciences, Peshawar; City University of Science and Information Technology, Peshawar.
Gandhara University, Peshawar; Ghulam Ishaq Khan Institute of Engineering Sciences and Technology, Topi; Northern University, Nowshera; Preston University, Kohat; Qurtaba University of Science and Information Technology, D. I. Khan; and Sarhad University of Science and Information Technology, Peshawar.
PUNJAB: Bahauddin Zakariya University, Multan; Fatima Jinnah Women University, Rawalpindi; Government College University, Lahore; Islamia University, Bahawlpur.
Kinnaird College for Women, Lahore; Lahore; College for Women University, Lahore; National College of Arts, Lahore; National Textile University, Faisalabad; University of Agriculture, Faisalabad; University of Arid Agriculture, Murree Road, Rawalpindi.
University of Education, Lahore; University of Engineering and Technology, Lahore; University of Engineering and Technology, Taxila.
University of Health Sciences, Lahore; University of Sargodha, Sargodha; University of the Punjab, Lahore; University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Lahore; Hajvery University, Lahore.
Imperial College of Business Studies, Lahore; Institute of Management and Technology, Lahore; Institute of Management Sciences, Lahore; Institute of South Asia, Lahore; Lahore School of Economics, Lahore; Lahore University of Management Sciences, Lahore; National College of Business Administration and Economics, Lahore.
University of Central Punjab, Lahore; University of Faisalabad, Faisalabad; and University of Lahore, Lahore.
SINDH: Institute of Business Administration, Karachi; Liaquat University of Medical and Health Sciences, Jamshoro; Mehran University of Engineering and Technology, Jamshoro.
NED University of Engineering and Technology, Karachi; Pakistan Naval Academy, Karachi; Quaid-e-Awam University of Engineering Sciences and Technology, Nawabshah; Shah Abdul Latif University, Khairpur.
Sindh Agriculture University, Tandojam; University of Karachi, Karachi; University of Sindh, Jamshoro; Aga Khan University, Karachi.
Baqai Medical University, Karachi; DHA Suffa University, Karachi; Greenwich University, Karachi.
Hamdard University, Karachi; Indus Valley School of Art and Architecture, Karachi; Institute of Business Management, Karachi.
Iqra University, Karachi; Isra University, Hyderabad; Jinnah University for Women, Karachi.
Karachi Institute of Economics and Technology, Karachi; KASB Institute of Technology, Karachi.
Muhammad Ali Jinnah University, Karachi; Newport Institute of Communications and Economics, Karachi; Preston Institute of Management Science and Technology, Karachi.
Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto Institute of Science and Technology (SZABIST), Karachi; Sir Syed University of Engg. and Technology, Karachi; Textile Institute of Pakistan, Karachi; and Ziauddin Medical University, Karachi.
The HEC further clarified that many Pakistani institutions were also aggressively marketing degree programmes of foreign universities without any authorisation, and clarified that only the following institutions had been allowed foreign collaborations:
-- Karachi Institute of Information Technology (KIIT), Karachi, was allowed to run a degree programme in collaboration with the University of Huddersfield, England, which was an accredited university of the UK.
-- Karachi campus of Griffith College, Dublin, was allowed to run national certificate/degree programmes of the National Council for Educational Awards (NCEA), Ireland, under joint collaboration of the Academic Services Pakistan, Karachi, and the Griffith College, Ireland.
-- Ziauddin Medical University, Karachi, is running one-year Master of Public Health degree programme in collaboration with Wollongong University, Australia, after the approval of the HEC and the government of Pakistan. Wollongong University is an accredited University of Australia.
-- Ibadat Foundation/Ibadat Educational Trust (IFT), Islamabad, was allowed to run under-graduate twinning degree programme in collaboration with the Western Michigan University, USA, which is an accredited University of the USA.
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