LAHORE: “Punjab Higher Education Commission (PHEC) is committed to promoting higher education in Punjab and is undertaking various steps for the advancement of research culture and enhancing the skills of faculty in Higher Education Institutions (HEI),” stated Prof. Dr. Mohammad Nizamuddin while speaking to the President American Institute of Pakistan Studies (AIPS) and other delegates today.
“We are on the right track and successfully pursuing our goals”, he added.
Dr. Nizam said that Punjab HEC is arduously working to promote research culture by arranging seminars, workshops, and provisions of travel grant for university faculty. Punjab HEC is also devoted to enhance the skills of the academic faculty through various Faculty Development Programs in line with the vision of the Chief Minister of Punjab.
He informed that as per follow up of the Roadmap for Strengthening higher education in the province and after thorough deliberations, Punjab HEC has been established as an autonomous body by Punjab Assembly through an Act, with the vision to focus on basic issues of higher education institutions of Punjab, which has largest network of universities and colleges in the country.
Talking on the initiatives of Punjab HEC, the Chairman added that Punjab HEC has recently arranged trainings for university and college teachers and have already trained more than 500 newly inducted college teachers.
Currently, Punjab HEC is training more than 700 principals of public sector colleges throughout Punjab with active involvement of the universities. Partnerships are underway with various international organizations and universities to bring the higher education institutions of the Punjab at par with international standards.
The close coordination with international community would be greatly beneficial to address the challenges being faced by the higher education sector in the province. Community college initiative is one of the flagship programs of Punjab HEC, he remarked.
He further stated that since its inauguration by the Chief Minister, Punjab HEC has achieved many milestones in a relatively short span of time. Instead of relying on the quantity of work, PHEC would continue to focus over improving the quality in higher education sector with the active involvement of stakeholders and partner organizations.
