11-point agenda adopted to promote higher education

• VCs demand more autonomous universities; no external interference in university affairs

ISLAMABAD: The Vice Chancellors’ Committee in its 22nd meeting held here on Sunday adopted the 11-point declaration duly passed for the promotion of higher education across the country.

The meeting, chaired by committee Chairman Dr Masoom Yasinzai, resolved to work together for the promotion of higher education under the leadership of newly-appointed HEC Chairman Dr Tariq Banuri. During the meeting, the vice chancellors also decided that students were the primary stakeholders for the higher education and “we all must protect the right to quality education for all students.”

They said that quality faculty was essential for imparting quality education, and helping the students to compete at the global level, adding that efforts were needed to ensure availability of the quality faculty for public and private sector universities.

The government must allocate four per cent of GDP for education with at least one per cent for the higher education to increase the access to the university education, enhance its quality, and ensure wider socio-economic impact on society, it was decided in the meeting.

The vice chancellors stressed the need that more responsible autonomous universities with monitorable, reportable and verifiable system of the governance were essential. They demanded that there should be no external interference in the university affairs and urged that HEC must conduct trainings leading to improved governance and financial management in the higher educational institutions.

The committee decided that to evolve a transparent higher education system by utilising information technology for good governance and quality education delivery. They also pledged to ensure gender parity in faculty, student enrollment and appointment of the university leaders.

They said that HEC should support the development of learned societies in all fields, including humanities, and basic and social sciences so that the country can produce scholars of international eminence. “We request HEC to review and streamline its operating procedures in order to enhance service delivery,” the vice chancellors said.