A high profile meeting of vice chancellors, deans and representatives from various universities, PU Syndicate Members and British Council officials was held at the committee room of Undergraduate Study Centre here on Wednesday to discuss online mentoring programme and establishment of Institute of Leadership Education in Pakistani Universities. PU VC Prof Dr Mujahid Kamran, former GCU VC Prof Dr Khalid Aftab, UET VC Lt Gen (r) Muhammad Akram, British Council consultant from UK Hank William, PU Registrar Prof Dr Khan Raas Masood, Member Syndicate Prof Dr Shaukat Ali, PUCIT Principal Prof Dr Mansoor Sarwar, heads of various PU departments, UVAS and UET were present on the occasion.
The aim of the institute is to support excellence in higher education sector’s leadership as well as excellence in the governance and management of institutions of higher education and the British Council will provide UK expertise and technical support in establishment of Institute of Leadership Education in Pakistan as a consortium of three universities in Islamabad, Lahore and Karachi. While addressing the meeting, Kamran said universities should be run by teachers and there was a dire need of training senior faculty members working on administrative posts. He said that PU had already set up a committee for launching formal training programme of teachers holding managerial positions. He thanked the British Council for realising the importance of the programme and thinking about it. Akram said Punjab University had the potential and the main centre of Institute of Leadership Education should be set up at Punjab University.
He said Punjab University should be considered focal institute in this regard. British Council Consultant Hank William said that they were now mentoring structure for the programme and formal training of the teachers could be achieved. The participants of the meeting discussed that it was a good idea to look up legislation of the universities after 5 years. The participants identified types of leadership at universities and threw light on importance of leadership qualities. UVAS Registrar Dr Muhammad Afzal said universities were facing problems while dealing with Punjab government departments. Another UVAS official said that his university needed representation in committees and they needed collaboration with Punjab University and Higher Education Commission for faculty development. Another participant said most of Pakistani academic institutions were marred by conflicts and infighting and there was a need to focus on dealing with such issues. The participants said the concept of team building should be focused in the training programme. The participants discussed that local role models should be developed and their success stories should be highlighted.