HEC prioritises funding for higher studies despite limited funds

Higher Education Commission (HEC) Executive Director Dr Sohail Naqvi said on Sunday that despite of facing budget constraints this year, HEC was prioritizing provision of funds for the students studying abroad and in the country on scholarships to save them from any inconvenience. “HEC is facing financial issues as the budget approved this year was less according to the needs of higher education sector; however, the commission is doing its utmost to facilitate the students,” Naqvi said. The executive director said HEC at first would keep aside the funds for scholarship programs and then spend the rest of amount on different projects.
Naqvi said around 5,000 students were studying in different countries including Germany, France, Sweden and Austria while another 5,000 were studying within the country on scholarships. Recently, the commission has signed agreements with University of New Mexico and a university in New Zealand to send students on scholarships there. “Scholars from different countries are also interested in studying in the Pakistani universities and some foreign students have shown interest in the Pharmacy discipline of Quaid-i-Azam University (QAU) and other subjects in Baluchistan University of Information Technology and Management Sciences (BUITMS),” he further stated. The director was of the view that they wanted to invite and offer scholarships to the foreign students and expatriate Pakistanis but could not do much in face of the restraints due to security reasons.
Naqvi claimed that listing of Pakistani universities in the international rankings was a significant achievement and HEC was now paying even more focus on eco system of the higher education system.
Dr Sohail Naqvi also said the purpose of HEC was not only to improve the standard of universities but socio economic development of the country as well. “It is the prime duty of higher education institutions to help Pakistan come out from different crises. He said the universities had started a zero period, on the directions of HEC, for the students of far flung areas and madrassas, to bring them at par with the existing students and to enable them to qualify the entrance test of the universities. He added further that HEC was attached with the Ministry of Education and Training for the purpose of enhancing coordination and collaboration among all levels of education sector. Dr Sohail Naqvi also said that HEC had held meetings with provincial secretaries, federal education minister, state minister and federal secretary in detail in scenario of post 18th amendment.
Giving the example of Shaukat Khanam Cancer Hospital established by raising funds, he said the universities must go for fund raising campaigns for improving their management and governance systems.