Finding VCs: Criteria for varsity heads being revised

Participants decide to restart process from where it was halted.


Our Correspondent July 16, 2014

ISLAMABAD: Members of the search committee for the appointment of vice chancellors of public sector universities have decided they will amend the selection criteria to ensure the most-qualified persons reach the top positions.

The first meeting of the committee was held at the Ministry of Federal Education and Professional Training where the federal minister, Mohammad Baleeghur Rehman, presided over the meeting. The committee discussed issues faced by various universities as well as possible candidates for the top slot of each varsity, which includes International Islamic Univeristy Islamabad (IIUI), Allama Iqbal Open University (AIOU) and Quaid-e-Azam University (QAU).

Earlier, a committee of the Higher Education Commission (HEC) vetted and shortlisted some 300 applicants, including the three who are holding the acting charge of vice chancellors at the three universities. HEC Chairman Dr Mukhtar Ahmad had said the committee had received 150 applications for the AIOU job, 129 for the QAU vice-chancellorship and about 90 applied for the post of IIUI rector. Economist Dr Ishrat Hussain, part of the committee, could not participate in the meeting.

The participants included the HEC chief, Dr Sara Safder, Dr Junaid Zaidi and Dr UAG Isani. They discussed the education qualifications and skills a person should possess to lead a particular university.

They also agreed to start the process from where it was stopped with the provision that the committee can amend any criteria for the selection of a more appropriate person to better operate, control and handle a university. The ministry has also received verbal directions from the Preisdent of Pakistan, who is the chancellor of all federal universities, that the process should be started from where it was halted.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 16th, 2014.

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