KARACHI: Returning PhD scholars being placed in varsities
KARACHI, April 28: The Higher Education Commission (HEC) has processed the cases of 60 fresh PhD scholars who are returning from abroad after completing their studies for placement in universities as well as degree-awarding institutions countrywide.
At present 18 scholars have joined the varsities while 24 have been accepted by host institutions and placement of 18 scholars is in process.
It is expected that most of these young scientists, engineers, and medical professionals will make career in the academia once they are comfortably placed in the national universities. So far all the placements made are of non-HEC scholars as the ‘Placement of fresh PhD scholars returning from abroad programme’ is open for HEC as well as non-HEC scholars.
The step is a significant breakthrough in reversing the brain drain and is providing an attractive academic environment to the highly qualified and talented young people to work in. This programme aims at providing occupation to the scholars on their return to save them the agony of unemployment.
So far 1,200 HEC scholars have been trained in varsities of the West as well as East Asia. In an effort to provide an environment conducive to research and education, the HEC has created opportunities for those scholars who have recently completed, or are about to complete doctoral studies from reputed varsities from abroad so that they return home to occupations and research facilities where they may continue their research work.
The universities benefiting from the first batch of PhDs include University of Karachi; University of Arid Agriculture, Rawalpindi; PIEAS, Islamabad; COMSATS, Abbotabad; Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad; International Islamic University, Islamabad; NWFP Agricultural University, Peshawar; Government College University, Lahore; Education University Lahore; Rawalpindi Medical College, Rawalpindi; and University of Peshawar, Peshawar. The programme is open to all fields.
scholarships: The University of Karachi has formed a committee to grant scholarships to those brilliant students who are unable to pay fees due to financial problems.
This was announced by a KU spokesman on Saturday. He said that Prof Dr Abuzar Wajidi would be heading this committee.
Dr Wajidi said that the committee had been formed on the directives of the vice-chancellor. He said that no student would be deprived of the chance to pursue higher education on account of financial constraints.—PPI/APP
