A regular mechanism of formal interaction between Higher Education Commission (HEC) and public sector universities will be defined to create a line of communication between the two. This was decided at a meeting of vice chancellors and rectors of these institutions with HEC's senior officials, held to discuss quality assurance issues.
The Commission also unveiled eligibility criteria for private sector universities to receive its funding. 'Credible private sector universities will be funded by HEC, 'said Dr Sohail Naqvi. Executive Director HEC. 'Our common aim is ensuring quality education,' he added.'
It is critical to provide sustainability to our efforts and ensure a long-term partnership between private sector universities and HEC. It is therefore important to blur the line between public and private sector universities he elaborated while presenting an overview of the steps taken to promote quality education already being implemented in public sector universities. While sharing those measures with heads of private sector institutions he invited them to adopt the quality assurance procedures and guidelines developed by HEC. He also stressed the need to define mechanism of formal interaction with HEC to cover issues and get their viewpoint across to the Commission.
It was further decided in the meeting that for a university to be eligible for HEC funding the university must be not-for profit while it is necessary that at least 70 percent of the courses being taught there must be done so by full time faculty members.
It would also essential for the university to meet the cabinet criteria of establishment of university or institute with respect to building, faculty, teacher student ratio, inter net connectivity, extra curricular activities. It should follow established accounting procedures and possess a mechanism for providing funding to needy students.
On fulfilment of the criteria universities in the private sector will be eligible to receive research grant after its proposals are accepted on merit, while a matching grant of 50 percent will be available from HEC to hire foreign faculty through the Foreign Faculty Hiring Programme. Matching grant will also be available for digital library access to selected journals and international bandwidth for internet access. Funding to private sector universities will be encouraged especially in those areas where public sector universities have no capacity or facilities to undertake specific research activities.
The project proposals or feasibility studies will be submitted by private sector universities to HEC to be determined by standing committee comprising Planning Commission, Finance Division and Higher Education Commission. In this regard HEC will devise regular monitoring system on periodic basis to ensure proper utilisation of grants by the institutions.
It will be possible to gain land for establishment for new university on lease for specified purpose of education on the condition that infrastructure for the institution will be established within a specified period of time and any assets on it will revert to the government if the purpose of land acquisition is not met.
The meeting stressed the need for funding opportunities for research that required a cultural change at public as well as private universities and both must work in harmony for uplift of quality in education.
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