ISLAMABAD: The Higher education Commission (HEC) has announced Phase-II (Batch-II) of the Interim Placement of Fresh PhDs (IPFP) Program, initiated to provide all Pakistani fresh PhD graduates an opportunity to be placed as Assistant Professors on a tenure track system for a period of one year.
Under the programme, HEC has invited applications for the fiscal year 2021-22 as 'IPFP Fellows' in all areas of study/disciplines.
Deputy Director National Academy of Higher Education (NAHE), Mehwish Jabbar told APP that due to increase in the number of PhD holders, there was growing demand for such interim opportunities.
HEC has given final deadline for the submission of application as March 31, 2021, she added.
She urged that candidates should fill required information online, upload mandatory documents and apply at HEC e-portal http://eportal.hec.gov.pk/ipfp.
The aim to launch IPFP program is to create an opportunity for fresh PhDs to obtain academic experience and mentorship, for one year in Higher Education Institutions (HEIs), federal/provincial government post-graduate colleges or public sector Research and Development organizations, prior to their formal entry into the academic job market, she added.
However, the official sources told APP that the selected candidates would carry the title of IPFP Fellow throughout the period of their Fellowship i.e., NFDP and subsequent placements.
IPFP Fellowship would be counted as part of professional experience, and treated as equivalent to a postdoctoral fellowship, they added.
They said eligible candidates would get an outstanding opportunity to attend free of cost, online, one month National Faculty Development Program (NFDP) with a team of highly reputed International and National Trainers.
Eligible applicants who have successfully completed NFDP would also get continuous capacity building opportunities through various online activities recommended by NAHE during the period of the Fellowship, the sources mentioned.
HEC, they said, would facilitate in providing opportunity of placement at HEIs for one year as an IPFP Fellow by sharing credentials of successful candidates.
According to them, a faculty mentor would be assigned to each IPFP Fellow at the host university for guidance on major career-related issues, setting academic targets and supervision of their work to ensure a high degree of research productivity.
HEC would pay a fixed Salary/Remuneration, currently fixed at PKR 100,000/- per month for a period of 12 months from the date of joining to the IPFP Fellows, they confirmed.
The IPFP Fellows would be eligible to compete for a Start-up Research Grant Program (SRGP) from the Research Wing of HEC, the official sources added.
It is pertinent to mention here that the IPFP was established in 2009, and last revised in 2019. The core objective of the program is to assist fresh PhD graduates in acquiring the competencies and professional characteristics required for effective teaching and research and ultimately for success in the academic profession.