Mega universities : AIOU, IIUI, QAU await appointments of new VCs

Despite the passing of four months no search committee has been formed

ISLAMABAD: The Higher Education Commission (HEC) has written a letter to the Ministry of Federal Education and Professional Training requesting that the process of appointing vice chancellors be completed on priority. Presently there are three mega universities of the federal capital where the new vice chancellor (VC) is yet to be appointed.

According to details, the tenure of the heads of three universities situated in Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) including Allama Iqbal Open University (AIOU), International Islamic University (IIU) and Quaid-e-Azam University (QAU) will be completed in October. Sources stated that the last date to apply for the post of VC at QAU was March 18 and March 25 for AIOU and IIU.



Despite the passing of four months for submission of forms, no search committee has been formed nor the scrutiny process completed. However, during the tenure of HEC’s former chairman Dr Mukhtar Ahmad the process for the appointment of VC's was initiated six months before the end of VC's tenure by advertising the post in daily newspapers.

HEC Chairman Dr Tariq Banuri said the applications for the appointment of VCs were submitted before his appointment as the head of HEC.

However, the HEC would complete the process online with the directions of the new government, he added. HEC Executive Director Dr Arshad Ali told APP that a letter has been written to the ministry of education and it is now up to the ministry to complete the process.



Incumbent AIOU Vice Chancellor Dr Shahid Siddiqui said that the appointment of VCs should be completed in time so that the continuity of policies in the institutions can be maintained. QAU VC Dr Javed Ashraf said that there is no doubt that the appointments process should be completed in time.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 21^st, 2018.