'Universities' ranking makes a lot of improvement'

The Deans of the University of Sindh have said that the ranking among the Universities has made a lot of improvement within the Universities and proposed the ranking of the public sector Universities under discipline wise between subject matching Universities.
This was proposed by Deans of University of Sindh in a meeting with Dr Naveed Naqvi Senior Education Economist of World Bank here on Monday. The meeting was presided over by acting Vice Chancellor of the University Professor Iqbal Ahmed Panhwar. The meeting was also attended by Pro Vice Chancellor Dr Rafia Ahmed Shaikh, Deans of the various Faculties Dr Anwar Ali Shah Dr Muhammad Tahir Rajput, Dr Parveen Munshi, Dr Muhammad Raees, Dr Muhammad Suleman Shaikh, Registrar, Muhammad Hussain Shaikh, Controller of Examinations Dr K.D.Pitafi and others.
The purpose of the meeting with University academia and visit of Dr Naveed Naqvi was to evaluate demands and constraints the University of Sindh was facing in implementing quality education and research. The World Bank is assessing the progress in the Universities made during the last 4-5 years.
The acting Vice Chancellor Professor Iqbal Ahmed Panhwar while briefing Dr Naqvi informed that the University of Sindh is second oldest University of Pakistan and comprises 54 disciplines and seven faculties. He further informed that the University is catering educational needs of the higher education of province of Sindh and number of students studying from other provinces as well as foreigner students.
Dr Panhwar said that University of Sindh is first public sector university of Pakistan which introduced and also implemented reforms in higher education set by HEC, including 4 year BS degree program.
Dr Panhwar also highlighted academic and research activities took place in various institutes and departments, facilities available as well as need of improvement with availability of funds in areas of sciences and other disciplines. The Director Quality Enhancement Cell Dr Muhammad Suleman Shaikh informed that QEC is engaged to improve quality of education by implementing criteria set by HEC.
He said that more than 20000 boys and girl students and a number of foreigner students were enrolled in the University. He informed that one of the reasons for less number of students in the Universities is poverty and added that poverty in rural areas of the province is most important factor for which majority of students of rural areas are unable to get higher education. He said that the University is publishing 9 research journals and out of them four are funded by the Higher Education Commission.
The Registrar of the University, Muhammad Hussain Shaikh who is also Advisor Planning and Development informed that 40 faculty members who proceeded abroad for Ph.D would be returning in the end of this year after completing Ph.D and added that these would be useful for the higher education. He said that 69 more scholars will be proceeding abroad for Ph.D funded by the Higher Education Commission. The meeting on this occasion discussed the parameters to improve more the quality of higher education including lower education.