Federal Minister Planning, Development & Reform Professor Ahsan Iqbal today asked Higher Education Commission (HEC) to devise a Strategic Framework-2025 for higher education to make it compatible with the world-wide evolving trends. The fast changing developments and technology are re-defining the paradigm in higher education and Pakistan needs to catch up with the changing paradigm through a new vision for higher education like the one present government introduced in the form of Vision-2025 for sustained economic growth and inclusive development.
Ahsan Iqbal stated this while chairing a meeting to review the higher education projects in the country. He held the view that this strategic framework-2025 would set the direction and destination of higher education for next ten years. HEC should hold consultation with the top minds in higher education.
This strategic framework would provide guidelines for implementation of five years plan and other short term plans in higher education. Ahsan Iqbal said that present government approved highest number of projects in higher education by doubling its budget in last two and half years. He sought the physical and financial progress on various higher education projects and directed to speed up the pace of work on various projects to complete them as per schedule.
Minister said that HEC should enhance project management skills to complete the projects in efficient and effective manner. Minister also asked HEC for devising guidelines for campus design by ensuring energy efficient and environment & people friendly aspects in them.
Federal Minister also sought the plan on immediate basis for implementation of government's initiative on setting up of university campuses at district level and stressed for increasing the co-ordination with provincial governments for speeding up the pace of work on it. Ahsan Iqbal also directed to operationalize Technology Innovation Fund at its earliest offering competitive research grants to PhD scholars returning to Pakistan from research in areas of industry, agricultural applications to promote academia-industry link.-PR