he Mardan Declaration on strengthening social sciences released by the Inter University Consortium for Promotion of Social Sciences, Arts & Humanities (IUCPSS) Pakistan has been widely appreciated by academicians and the civil society. Terming it a milestone towards the revival of social sciences in Pakistan, they hoped that relevant stakeholders and partner universities would undertake practical steps and effectively follow the salient features of the declaration.
The Mardan Declaration was issued by 20 vice chancellors and representatives from public and private institutions, during the annual meeting of the IUCPSS, which was hosted by Abdul Wali Khan University Mardan.
Vice Chancellor of University of Peshawar & Chairman National Vice Chancellors Committee Prof. Dr. Rasul Jan said that the declaration is a positive development for collaborative efforts that can strengthen social sciences in Pakistan.
Centre for Civic Education Pakistan Executive Director Zafar Ullah Khan and Secretary General Council of Social Sciences Dr. Nadeem Omar Tarar appreciated the efforts of IUCPSS for improving social sciences and assured their cooperation in the implementation of the declaration.
Vice Chancellor of Abdul Wali Khan University Mardan, Prof. Dr. Ihsan Ali said while hosting the meeting that every sort of possible support would be provided to the consortium and a working group comprising of heads from IUCPSS member universities would be established in order to take up the recommendations.
The Mardan Declaration issued by about 20 universities , reaffirmed Abbottabad Declaration 15th July 2012, Bahawalpur Declaration 27th April 2013 and Swat Declaration 10th June 2013, which called for increase in budget of higher education, establishment of Pakistan Council of Social Sciences Research (PCSSR) as an autonomous organisation under the umbrella of IUCPSS, establishment of Endowment fund for social sciences research, increase in proportion of social sciences disciplines in local and foreign scholarships, establishment of laboratories for research in the discipline in all universities of the country.
Following worldwide patterns and global practices, the consortium as an autonomous organisation would continue its contribution, under the leadership of current chairperson Dr. Nasser Ali Khan, towards strengthening Social Sciences at regional and national level, with close liaison with its partner organisations. It added that though social sciences, art and humanities have been given importance globally, they have been neglected in Pakistan. The consortium would complement the efforts being undertaken for the promotion of social sciences at the international, national and provincial level.
The session acknowledged the contributions and dynamic leaderships of Dr. Muhammad Mukhtar (former Vice Chancellor, Islamia University of Bahawalpur), and Prof. Dr. Muhammad Nizamuddin (former Vice Chancellor, University of Gujrat; first Chairperson of Punjab Higher Education Commission) and vowed that the consortium would act as an autonomous body under the leadership of current Chairman Dr. Nasser Ali Khan.
In light of the growing desire and demand by Pakistani universities, IUCPSS’s associate membership will also expand. The partnership would also be expanded and the International Social Sciences conference would be organized during June 2015. A special thanks was also extended to Vice Chancellor Abdul Wali Khan University Prof. Dr. Ihsan Ali for hosting the meeting.
