Punjab University senate meets after 12 years

Meeting attended by 100 senators, approves Rs9 billion budget for 2018-19

LAHORE: After a staggering 12 years, the 351st meeting of Punjab University’s (PU) senate was held at the Senate Hall at the Old Campus on Thursday.

PU Vice Chancellor Niaz Ahmed Akhtar presided over the meeting after seeking permission from the Punjab governor. Around 100 senators participated in the meeting which was last held in 2007.



During the meeting, the senate approved a Rs9 billion budget for the varsity for 2018-2019, while also giving ex-post facto approval to the budgets for the previous fiscal years from 2007 onwards.

The senate also gave the approval for adopting the tenure track statuses (TTS) version 2 for a revision in the criteria and honourarium for professor emeritus, for adjusting sabbatical leaves for faculty members working on TTS and for raising the minimum qualification for appointing lecturers and assistant professors, as per the Higher Education Commission’s (HEC) notification.

“The incumbent administration believes in merit, good governance, transparency and accountability which will be reflected in every operation and function. Therefore, the administration will make all statutory bodies functional and ensure they meet within two months,” said PU Vice Chancellor Niaz Ahmed Akhtar.

He added that it would be helpful in streamlining the university’s affairs and ensure transparency.

“PU will take part in the race for international rankings. Further, the administration will promote impactful socioeconomic research so that the country and society can develop. The administration will make efforts to maintain the student-teacher ratio,” the vice chancellor added.

He said that varsity had advertised the top positions to end ad hoc culture and all the positions will be filled on merit. The administration will encourage foreign students and faculty members to internationalise the university. The administration will restore the past glory and the academic excellence of one of the country’s oldest institutions, he maintained.



The varsity will launch a compressed semester programme in the summer, in collaboration with varsities across the province, to promote financial harmony.

PU has also planned to launch a fund raising campaign, he added. 

Published in The Express Tribune, August 10^th, 2018.