ISLAMABAD, Nov 30: Higher Education Commission (HEC) will provide post-doctoral training to as many as 100 university teachers with special emphasis on research work, says an official statement.

According to the statement, the decision was made at a high- level meeting which was presided over by the HEC chairman, Dr Attaur Rahman.

The press release said as PhD level education was very expensive in the country, therefore, the federal government had decided to offer a programme to make the universities centres of excellence.

“The post-doctoral training will have a positive effect on the quality of education and research.”

The statement said the research programme would be a part of the training of university teachers holding PhD degrees. The programme will also enable the teachers to develop linkages with their counterparts working in reputed universities in developed countries, its added.

“These contacts, thereafter will be used for bilateral linkages, twining of universities and departments, and exchange of teachers.”

The press release said the fellowship would be awarded on merit through competition on national basis to all faculty members working in the public sector universities, Centres of Excellence, Pakistan Study Centres, and degree awarding colleges and institutions.

Pakistani nationals working in the foreign research institutes will not be allowed to apply for the programme, it added.

The fellowships will be awarded in the priority fields of information technology, computer science, genetic engineering and biotechnology, new materials and metallurgical sciences, electronics and micro-electronics, engineering disciplines, laser and fibre optics, basic and applied sciences, agricultural disciplines, renewable energy and energy technology, pharmaceuticals, energy, health sciences, textiles, ocean resources, defence, management sciences, social and behavioural sciences, art and humanities.

The HEC also discussed a number of projects to be financed by the commission.

The meeting discussed development of laboratories of molecular genetics microbiology and environmental biology at Quaid-i-Azam University in Islamabad.

The project is directed at improving the laboratories and library facilities for better research at a cost of Rs40 million.