ISLAMABAD, Jan 5: The Higher Education Commission (HEC) has assured the Syrian government of full cooperation in the field of higher education.
HEC Executive Director Dr Sohail Naqvi extended this assurance in a meeting with a visiting Syrian delegation, headed by Deputy Minister Higher Education for Science Research Dr Mohammed Najib Abdul Wahid Syria, here on Wednesday.
The Syrian delegation is here to explore various means that would enable the two Muslim countries to cooperate in the field of science and technology. The HEC executive director briefed the delegation about various ongoing schemes, programmes and initiatives taken in higher education sector by the commission.
He also highlighted some of the areas of specialization in which the two countries could collaborate in future. Dr Naqvi identified biochemistry, biotechnology, bioinformatic, molecular biology, high energy physics, genetics, plant protection and some other fields of specialization in which both the countries could benefit from each other's experiences.
He also offered senior professors and scientists exchange programme as well as research exchange programme between the two countries. An MoU has already been signed by Pakistan and Syria to mutually cooperate in the higher education sector. Both countries also agreed to exchange study visits of delegations of professors and students to benefit from their expertise.
Meanwhile, Chairman Higher Education Commission (HEC) Dr Attaur Rehman has disallowed the Allama Iqbal Open University (AIOU) to name after him an under-construction research complex of the university.
The foundation stone-laying ceremony of the block named "Dr Attaur Rehman Research Complex" had been held in 2003 and Dr Rehman was invited as chief guest. Speaking on the occasion, Dr Rehman had explained that he was not interested in such an honour, however, on the insistence of the AIOU vice-chancellor, Dr Altaf Hussain, he allowed naming the complex after him.
Official sources at the AIOU told Dawn that subsequent developments forced the HEC chairman to disassociate himself from the complex. After the foundation stone-laying ceremony, Dr Rehman asked the AIOU vice-chancellor to appoint a scientist of a high calibre to oversee the construction of the complex so that the project could be made research-friendly.
However, the vice-chancellor has not so far appointed any scientist as head of the complex that, according to the official sources, was the sole reason behind Dr Attaur Rehman's decision to disassociate himself from the complex.
In the following years, Dr Rehman seemed quite involved in the project and he had also visited the site of the project which was yet to be completed. The construction work should have been completed by October 2004. However, some vested interests in the university administration hindered the project.
When contacted, Director-General, Planning, HEC, Haleem Asghar confirmed that Dr Rehman had formally requested the AIOU to remove the plaque. It was setting a bad precedent, as a number of universities had started approaching the chairman for such a permission, hence Dr Rehman took this decision, he replied to a question.
"Yes, everybody knows the hidden objective behind such an initiative," Mr Haleem answered to another questioned asked by this reporter. It is worth-mentioning here that the contract of Dr Altaf Hussain will be over in March and he has been making efforts to get a second term.
