ISLAMABAD: The Higher Education Commission (HEC) has directed the International Islamic University Islamabad (IIUI) to stop offering further admissions in its eight PhD programmes because of several academic deficiencies.

The HEC also raised questions over 16 other PhD programmes of the IIUI and directed it to bring improvements to them.

Sources said the action was taken in the light of the recommendations of an inspection team of the HEC which recently visited the IIUI to check whether it was running the PhD programmes in accordance with HEC criteria or not.

However, IIUI Rector Dr Masoom Yasinzai said there were no deficiencies in the PhD programmes. He said the university had the best faculty so there was no question of stopping the PhD programmes.

When contacted, HEC Chairman Dr Mukhtar Ahmed said: “Yesterday, through an official letter, we directed the IIUI to stop offering admissions in eight PhD programmes. We also sought the university’s reply about 16 other programmes which are facing shortfalls.”

He, however, made it clear that there would be no immediate closure of the programmes as the HEC attached more importance to the future of the students.

“The prime purpose of our action against universities is not closure of higher education learning institutions but to bring improvement,” he said.

The IIUI is one of the largest universities of the country in which over 30,000 students are pursuing education from undergraduate to the PhD level. The university is offering PhDs in 32 programmes.

“On the recommendations of our inspection team, we found shortfalls in 24 PhD programmes. For example, the university is offering PhD in Pakistan Studies without having a single PhD,” the chairman HEC said, adding there were grave deficiencies in some of the programmes such as Natural Sciences, Engineering Management and Political Science.

In March this year, the HEC had also taken action against Preston University’s Islamabad campus for offering PhD programmes contrary to the HEC criteria.

A couple of months ago, the HEC stated that its teams reviewed various public and private universities and on their recommendations 31 PhD and 26 MPhil programmes of different universities were closed during the last 18 months.

But the IIUI rector claimed that there was no issue of quality of education and the shortage of qualified teachers in his university.

“Since I’m out of station and have no idea about the letter you are talking about, I would say we have the best faculty and are taking several initiatives to provide best brain to the country,” he said.

About the PhD programme in Pakistan Studies, he said: “This is a multiple subject. We have PhD holders in history and geography who are teaching the students.”

About PhD in Natural Sciences, which according to many is of generalised nature, the rector said: “Being a scientist, I know better about this degree. Across the globe this worthy degree is being offered and we are also offering admissions in it with a specialised subject.”

He said if there was any shortfall, he would work day and night to bring an improvement.

“First, there is no shortfall that could lead to the closure of our programmes. But if there are some issues, I would sort it out,” he said and added that the university would respond to the HEC queries in details. He said the university had around 900 faculty members and 33pc of them were PhDs.

When contacted, IIUI spokesperson Hasan Aftab Kazmi said: “I have come to know that the HEC has issued a letter or going to issue a letter, raising objections over some PhD programmes of our university. But I don’t have any specific information.”

Published in Dawn, December 17th, 2016