HEC considers green campus framework

ISLAMABAD: Higher Education Commission (HEC) on Tuesday reflected on GreenMetric World University Ranking on the World Environment Day 2018 to introduce the concept of green and biodegradable campus in universities.

A consultative meeting of the working group of 15 universities was held to take a look and self-assess their policies and direction in relation with efforts to tackle global climate change.

The initiative taken by Universitas Indonesia (UI) has been appreciated by HEC and the need to maximise participation of Pakistani universities was realised in the upcoming rankings. The participants agreed to organise a National Workshop on July 9, 2018 in collaboration with UI GreenMetic World University Ranking where all the universities of Pakistan will be invited to participate.

HEC Executive Director Arshad Ali chaired the workshop, while member operations and planning Dr Raza Bhatti and other senior HEC officers were also present.

Ali appreciated the concept of Universitas Indonesia with a focus of sustainability at campuses. He stressed the need for adopting the concept in Pakistani higher education institutions and set up Green Office, which will coordinate with the higher education institutions of Pakistan. He maintained that the concept may help sort out solution to water crisis prevailing in Pakistan and other climate change challenges.



Dr Ghulam Raza Bhatti highlighted the significance of the theme of World Environment Day 2018, which is “Beat the Plastic Pollution”. He said the hazards of plastic use in daily life need to be disseminated so that the young generation may not only refuse the use of plastics, but can also influence their families to stop its use.

HEC Monitoring and Evaluation Director Naveed Shah shared a detailed presentation on the concept of this ranking system which is based on the indictors viz. setting and infrastructure, energy and climate change, waste, water, transportation, and education.



In the face of global challenges such as climate change, shortage of water and energy, pollution, population, pandemic and public health, the UI GreenMetric World University Ranking is an initiative taken by Universitas Indonesia (UI) to measure campus sustainability efforts.

At initial level in Pakistan, a working group of 15 universities was constituted from all over Pakistan and nominations were received for representation of respective institutions. The representatives of six universities, including University of Karachi, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, Bahauddin Zakaria University, Multan, Pir Mehr Ali Shah Arid Agriculture University, Rawalpindi, University of Lahore, and IBA University Sukkur, which are mainly participating in the ranking, delivered presentations highlighting their efforts in implementation of Green Campus Framework.