Under faculty development program of Higher Education Commission (HEC), 30 scholarships have been awarded to the female faculty of Sardar Bhaudar Khan Women University (SBKWU) Quetta, the first Women University of Balochistan. According to the details, MS leading to PhD and PhD-level scholarships have been awarded in three categories: overseas scholarships, split and indigenous scholarships. The awarded scholarships would cover various disciplines i.e economics, mathematics, computer Science, management science, botany and zoology etc.
Addressing special scholarship award ceremony, the Vice Chancellor of SBKWU Ms. Sultana Baloch congratulated the scholarship awardees and lauded the efforts of HEC for undertaking a number of initiatives to increase access to higher education in Balochistan province. She was of the view that faculty development program has been greatly helpful in strengthening the capacity faculty of SBKWU in all areas.
She also informed that through new phase, 30 more scholarships would be awarded soon in various disciplines. She also appreciated the transparent selection process which enabled the capable and deserving candidates to get an opportunity to enhance their knowledge at the leading higher education institutions of academically advanced countries. Earlier Mr. Wasim Hashmi Syed, Project Director and Focal Person HEC conducted orientation session with SBKWU scholars and provided them the guidelines of the HEC scholarships policies and assist them to secure admission in HEC recognized international Universities.
Since its inception, HEC has paid special attention towards promoting higher education sector in the Balochistan province. The main initiatives include special scholarship schemes for the faculty and youth of Balochistan, implementation of federal government’s quota policy in award of local and foreign scholarships, establishment of well-equipped HEC regional centre at Quetta, number of universities has been increased from 2 to 7 including first women university of Balochistan and launched special projects for the development of basic infrastructure at higher education institutions of the province including labs, class rooms, seminars rooms, labs, transport facilities, digital libraries, video conferencing facility etc.
HEC has already awarded 2,000 scholarships to students of Balochistan and FATA under the project “Provision of Higher Education Opportunities for Balochistan & FATA” during the last four years. Under second and new phase of the project, 1500 more scholarships would be awarded to the students of Balochistan and FATA. HEC has also arranged foundation course for 684 students of Balochistan at Quetta. To date 66 scholars have completed their studies and among these 7 scholars from Balochistan have shown outstanding performance and have clinched gold medal from leading Universities of country i.e. COMSATS, NUST, GC University Lahore and University of Balochistan. Recently, 600 Masters leading to PhD scholarships for the natives of Balochistan province have been announced under the “Aghaz-e-Haqooq-e-Balochistan Package” with a cost of Rs. 3,138.692 million. The project is focused towards providing opportunities for access to higher education to financially constrained youth of Balochistan, who despite possessing academic merit are unable to continue their further studies. The offered scholarship would cover tuition costs, accommodation and living expenses of the selected candidates.
Under faculty development program, HEC has accorded approval for more than 360 foreign scholarships for the faculty members of seven higher education institutions of the province. Through this innovative initiative, the younger faulty is enhancing their further higher education at the leading universities of academically advanced countries.
