PM Shehbaz appoints Dr Niaz Akhtar as new HEC chairman

Ministry of Education issues notification confirming appointment for a tenure of two years

ISLAMABAD:

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif appointed Dr Niaz Ahmad Akhtar, Vice Chancellor of Quaid-e-Azam University (QAU), as new Higher Education Commission (HEC) Chairman on Friday. The Federal Ministry of Education issued the notification, confirming the appointment, which will run for a tenure of two years under the amended act.

Earlier, a nine-member search committee, led by Federal Minister for Education, Dr Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui, conducted interviews and forwarded a summary of shortlisted candidates to the prime minister.

The summary included the names of Dr Akhtar, former NED University vice chancellor Dr Sarosh Hashmat Lodi and Punjab University Vice Chancellor Dr Muhammad Ali Shah as potential contenders.

With over 35 years of experience in higher education, research, and institutional development, Dr Niaz is the most senior vice chancellor in the country, with a cumulative 16 years of experience leading six prestigious institutions, including Quaid-e-Azam University, University of the Punjab, UET Taxila, National Textile University Faisalabad, University of Sahiwal, and Information Technology University Lahore.

He also served as vice chairman of Pakistan Engineering Council for three terms. A scholar of international repute, Dr Niaz holds a PhD degree in Chemical Engineering from the University of Leeds, United Kingdom.

He has published a number of peer-reviewed articles; authored, edited four books; supervised 12 PhD students in Chemical Engineering and Total Quality Management.

He remained the chief editor of the Journal of Quality and Technology Management, and International Journal of Quality and Innovation from 2005-2017.

Under his leadership, these institutions experienced significant advancements in academic programmes, research productivity, infrastructure development, digitalisation, and international collaboration.