HEC starts textbook writing support programme

Plan aims to provide opportunity to university teachers to enhance their writing skills

ISLAMABAD:

The Higher Education Commission (HEC) has embarked on the Textbook Writing Support Programme (TWSP) to enhance the competitiveness in research and development and to create a strong team of authors in the country by broadening the authorship cadre.

According to official sources, potential authors having at least three years of consecutive experience in teaching at the graduate and undergraduate level in HEC recognised public and private sector universities and institutes are eligible for the particular course.

The authors may write on diverse and selected topics as per the HEC approved curricula in new emerging fields such as information technology, robotics, biotechnology as well as basic sciences, social sciences, management sciences, behavioural sciences, arts and humanities, agriculture, engineering and health sciences.

Meanwhile, the interested authors who meet the eligibility criteria may get their textbooks published directly from Taylor & Francis, McGraw Hill, Pearson, and Oxford University Press.

The Sources said that the HEC will get the review of the textbook from a panel of experts. On the recommendation of reviewers, the HEC will offer Rs1 million for a written textbook f master's and doctorate level and Rs0.8 million for a bachelor's level textbook.

The HEC will continue to receive the published textbooks with required documents from July 1, 2022, to June 30, 2023. The details are also available on the HEC website.

The TWSP aims to provide an opportunity to the faculty members working in HEC recognized public and private sector universities and degree awarding institutes to enhance their writing skills.

Under the programme, faculty members are extended financial assistance for the writing of their research in the shape of textbooks for undergraduate and graduate levels.

The main objective of the TWSP is to promote the production of high-quality textbooks in physical as well as digital forms, by national authors for use as recommended or required reading in undergraduate or graduate-level courses.

In addition, the ancillary objectives will also be achieved including developing a world-class academic publishing industry in Pakistan, with a special focus on the textbook publishing industry.

The program will bring the work of national scholars to international attention and develop a high standard of quality control in academic publishing and popularize them among students as well as faculty members.

Another objective is to provide necessary facilitation to local authors to establish effective networks with the publishing partners for textbook development and publishing.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 20^th, 2022.