PhD no longer necessary for appointment as VC

Punjab HED issues revised criteria for varsity heads posts

LAHORE: The Punjab Higher Education Department (HED) has issued the revised criteria for the appointment of vice chancellors at eight public sector universities and issued a notification to this effect for each of the institutes.

A copy of the notification  which is available with The Express Tribune  states that a PhD-holding candidate is a preference rather than requisite. However, having a PhD carries additional marks in the selection process.

Additionally, the new rules also give the search committee the powers to nominate a candidate for a vice chancellor slot. Previously, the committee forwarded three names to the chief minister, who interviewed them and selected a vice chancellor.



“Vice chancellor is fundamentally a leadership position. Therefore, the search committee will look for highly accomplished, qualified and motivated candidates for the position through applications of hopefuls or nominations from renowned scholars/academicians or management experts. The search committee members may also nominate potential qualified candidates”.

The new criteria dictates that applicants should have earned a PhD degree from a recognised institution; have experience in a senior academic research or management leadership position. It said they should also have the experience of working in a well-reputed international organisation/academic institution (teaching/research /management) at a relatively senior position. It states that any hopefuls must demonstrate the capacity for mobilisation of financial resources from national/international agencies and show documented experience of establishing new organisations or restructuring existing ones.

The notification further said that for a candidate to be shortlisted, he/she would have to obtain at least 65% marks. A total of 35% marks were reserved for the interview to be conducted by the search committee.

According to the breakdown of the marks, academic qualifications carry 20 points, whereas having a higher education degree from one of the top 500 universities in QS Ranking would earn a candidate eight additional points. Professional and leadership experience carries 30 points; while publications, honours and award have 15 points.

Additionally, the search committee had been tasked with examining the validity of the research articles and other publications of the candidates. It also had the authority to appoint a Technical Review Committee from the Punjab Higher Education Commission for this purpose.



Meanwhile, the HED had separately sent a notification for the criteria of appointing the search committee. The notification said that according to the newly-approved mechanism, the department would identify a pool of professionals with the help of the Punjab Higher Education Commission (PHEC) and seek their willingness to serve on the committee. It further said that the department would recommend 12 names, including subject experts, to the government.

The eight public sector universities where the Punjab government seeks to appoint vice chancellors for Punjab University, University of Home Economics Lahore, Information Technology University (ITU) Lahore, Women University Multan, Ghazi University Dera Ghazi Khan, University of Sahiwal, University of Jhang and University of Okara.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 8^th, 2017.