PESHAWAR, June 7: The Peshawar University Teachers’ Association (Puta) has expressed concern over the new criteria set by the Higher Education Commission for selection of associate professors and professors.

Under the criteria, associate professors and professors will be appointed on recommendation of foreign experts teaching in universities in technologically-advanced countries.

In a press statement, Puta president Nasir Jamal Khattak called for a collective response of teachers of the university and said the issue would be discussed in the general body meeting on Thursday.

The HEC notification, a copy of which was attached with Mr Khattak’s statement, states: “For appointment of associate professors and professors, the suitability of candidates should be evaluated preferably by at least two foreign experts in case of associate professor and preferably by at least three foreign experts in the case of professors.

The evaluations should be done by full professors in reputed universities from technically- advanced countries.”

The new criteria will be enforced from July 1, 2007.

“We agree that the standard of education needs to be raised, we certainly want to compete with other nations. We know we have pitfalls and there is always room for improvement, but we can meet the challenges only if our survival is not threatened,” Mr Khattak said.

“It is time we do something about it. These are some issues which have caused unrest and uncertainty among teachers”, he said.

The Puta president also criticised the HEC for issuing letters to university teachers every now and then.