HEC chief presents blueprints for varsities

Says incorporation of IT imperative for ensuring accountability

ISLAMABAD: New Higher Education Commission (HEC) Chairperson Dr Tariq Banuri on Tuesday laid out the blueprint for the next four years that would focus on students and keep universities autonomous but accountable.

Speaking at a press conference at the HEC headquarters, Banuri said, “I have met over 150 heads of universities and also met other stakeholders and looking to take the higher education sector towards the level where its research, ranking and education matters.” He added that the quality will be the focus in the next four years.



The chairman said that the rights of students must be protected as they are the primary stakeholders of the higher education sector. “A number of measures have to be taken in this regard for ensuring the quality of education and research, capacity building of faculty and imparting practical knowledge to students,” he added.

He highlighted the importance of faculty development and said that the programmes held by the HEC were not doing enough in that regard. “We need to improve it further,” he added.

Banuri said that he had planned university leadership as well as administration empowerment to address issues like governance, financial management, and human resource development. He said that the commission is considering a system which will produce the kind of people the institutions need.



“I am planning to give at least 10 universities autonomy in my tenure...free from political, and other external pressures,” he said. The chairperson was of the view that there would be laid out pointers to have the autonomy benchmark of HEC and it would include financial as well as other independence.

He shed light on the fake institutions churning out degrees and cheating students. “We will not spare such varsities and focus on protecting students,” he added.

Banuri said that the HEC was also planning to have a consolidated data for the degree verification system so that the varsities and HEC have a first-hand database.

With regard to the ranking of the universities, he said that that the HEC would not conduct it since it is a regulatory body, but a third party, such as an international organisation, should do it.

He stressed that the HEC must increase the quality of research and its standing of journals at the international level. Banuri said that the 18th Amendment was a fact and HEC would work in collaboration with the provincial higher education bodies but would “sign a social contract with the government for no interference in universities affairs.”

He concluded that President Mamnoon Hussain also directed him to keep an eye on the financial affairs of the varsities and to control leakages and corruption. “We will support information technology, which means transparency and quality,” he added.