Punjab Chief Minister and Controlling Authority of Punjab Higher Education Commission (PHEC) Shehbaz Sharif has approved a supplementary grant of Rs 700 million for the Commission to address critical needs of higher education sector particularly relating to enhancing access, improving quality of teaching, promoting relevant research and supporting strong industry and academia linkages.
In addition, the Punjab government has also allocated Rs 200 million to the PHEC for foreign scholarships to be awarded to college teachers.
This was informed by Punjab HEC Chairperson Prof Dr Mohammad Nizamuddin in a letter written to 27 vice chancellors of the public sector universities of the province. The letter mentions that another important responsibility assigned to PHEC by the Punjab government is the processing and management of 21 development schemes of worth Rs 27 billion listed in the Annual Development Programme of Punjab.
The Punjab HEC chairperson said that following its establishment in January 2015, the PHEC carried out a desk review based on available relevant reports and consultations with academicians and researchers on the status of higher education in Punjab. In order to address the challenges identified and in accordance with the functions enunciated in the PHEC Act 2015, a detailed work plan has been chalked out by the PHEC to address the identified issues.
Focusing on research relevant to the socio-economic needs of the province is a top priority of the PHEC as is faculty development programmes to improve teaching standards. Engaging academia with the industry to collaborate on applied research and revitalising and restructuring college education through increased focus on imparting technical skills to create a job are also important goals. He said that detailed guidelines and procedures for accessing funds would be shared soon.
Terming higher education is the single best investment, Nizamuddin said that the PHEC is committed to fulfilling the vision of building a prosperous and skilled Punjab through providing quality higher education compatible with the imperatives of a knowledge economy.