ISRA varsity banned from offering admissions
Higher Education Commission. PHOTO: FILE
The Higher Education Commission (HEC) has banned ISRA University from offering admissions at all three campuses after the university administration failed to sort out internal (administrative) issues.
The HEC has issued an alert for prospective students about the ban on admissions to ISRA University. Students have been instructed to refrain from getting admission to any programmes at ISRA University, including its affiliated medical colleges since the HEC has prohibited enrollment there since the fall of 2022.
“In order to protect the future of students, admissions in all disciplines in ISRA University have been stopped from Fall 2022. This will include all admissions including medical colleges, in the principal seat in Hyderabad as well as Karachi and Islamabad till the resolution of the ongoing crisis,” said an alert issued by the HEC.
Earlier, the regulatory body had warned the ISRA University of the cancellation of its no-objection certificate (NOC) if it failed to resolve issues within one month.
According to the HEC, the administrational problems at ISRA University have not yet been rectified and admissions were suspended a few months ago. “The HEC can't allow admissions to its affiliated medical colleges either. The HEC will not allow admissions to the university until the administrative affairs of the university were improved.
Earlier, HEC Chairman Dr Mukhtar Ahmed held a meeting with ISRA University Vice-Chancellor Dr Nazir Ashraf Laghari and members of the Qazi family, who have allegedly occupied the Karachi and Islamabad campuses of the university.
Previously, Dr Mukhtar Ahmed had said that all parties to the issue have reached an agreement and if they failed to sort out internal issues, the regulatory body will also consider revoking the university's charter.
According to the sources, ISRA University Vice-Chancellor Dr Nazir Ashraf Laghari has accused the Qazi family of violating the charter of the university by getting the university degrees printed from a private publisher and handing them over to the students. Laghari has also accused the Qazi family of illegally occupying properties of the university.
HEC for implementing revised roadmap
Meanwhile, the HEC has issued letters to heads of all public and private sectors universities and degree-awarding institutions to implement the revised roadmap for teachers’ education in line with the recommendations of the National Curriculum Review Committee on Education.
According to the revised roadmap, candidates having associate degrees in education (ADE) will be allowed to enroll in the 5th semester or third year of a four-year BEd programme.
Similarly, candidates with an associate degree in disciplines other than education or two-year erstwhile BA/BSc degrees shall be admitted to the 5th semester or third year of a four-year BEd programme through a bridging semester after completing the deficiency courses (15-18 credit hours) as determined by the admitting university on a case-to-case basis.
Moreover, MA education, MEd and BS education shall be considered equivalent to Bed four years/BEd (Hons), BEd 2.5 after 14 years of qualification and BEd.1.5 after 16 years of qualification for employment and further education.
Graduates having 16 years or equivalent qualification in disciplines other than education and desirous to acquire BEd degrees will be allowed enrollment in BEd 1.5 comprising 45-54 credit hours of coursework. However, such graduates having 16 years of non-relevant qualification desirous to acquire admission in MS/MPhil education shall be required to complete deficiency courses of a minimum of 18 credit hours as part of the said degree programme as determined by the admitting university on a case-to-case basis.
The HEC said the nomenclature for teacher education degrees shall only be “Bachelor of Education (BEd.)” from Fall 2023 onwards.
Meanwhile, the HEC and British Council Pakistan, under International Mobility Partnership (Pak-UK Education Gateway) have launched invitations for full proposals from UK and Pakistani universities for this partnership.
Higher Education Commission, Pakistan (HEC) and British Council Pakistan has launched a joint programme Pak-UK Education Gateway, which aims to enhance the partnership between the higher education sector of Pakistan and the United Kingdom. In this partnership, UK and Pakistani universities will work together to develop higher education linkages between UK and Pakistan, sources told APP.
According to the sources, Pak UK Education Gateway Mobility Partnership for faculty and students provides flexible grants to UK higher education providers (HEPs) and Pakistani universities to design and deliver academically rigorous short-term mobility opportunities in Pakistan and the UK for faculty members and MS and PhD students from their respective institutions.
HEC and British Council Pakistan have launched invitations for full proposals from UK and Pakistani universities for this partnership, they added.
The proposal should address the Applicant Guideline document and Budget spreadsheet being shared separately. HEC announced that the deadline for application is January 31, 2023.
Published in The Express Tribune, January 3rd, 2023.