First Senior-Level Strategic Planning workshop for the heads of departments (HODs) of the Quaid-i-Azam University organised by the Higher Education Commission (HEC) concluded here on Wednesday. The purpose of the two-day workshop was to equip the University Management Cadre with modern governance tools and help them to adopt change. Addressing the concluding session, HEC Learning Innovation Division (LID) Director General Ms. Noor Amna Malik briefed the audience about the HEC’s initiatives regarding university governance. She said the LID was a national hub for in-service Continuous Professional Development (CPD) and certification of Higher Education academic and Management across Pakistan to meet and enhance their professional needs through open and customised professional programmes at national & international level.
She said Modern University Governance Program (MUG) was a revolutionary step for the Management Cadre of Universities for continuous capacity building and professional development through latest tools, techniques and international practices in university governance and leadership.
QAU Vice Chancellor, Prof. Dr Masoom Yasinzai while delivering a lecture on the importance of “Strategic Planning and Role of Universities” said there was a need to change the status of universities as stand-alone entities. “We are not in the era where universities are just supposed to be the places where only teaching learning takes place and new knowledge is generated. People today expect that universities should change their role and take part in building societies, communities and ultimately building the nation,” he added. He urged the heads of departments and senior faculty members that besides basic research they should also concentrate on applied research which was extremely important for the socio economic uplift of the country. Former president of two American universities Dr Mary Linda Armacost was the resource person of for this workshop. The second day training covered the areas of Basic Principles and Processes involved in Strategic Planning, SWOT Analysis of QAU in Small Groups and Strategies for Overcoming the Barriers, Sharing of Vision and Mission Statements and Goals with other stakeholders, Design of Strategic Planning, and Action Plans for departments.
