Higher education is vital to the socio-economic growth of any country. Pakistan is no exception. Recently, the government’s policy of prioritizing higher education and putting a decent amount of money into this particular field has led to the emergence of a vibrant research culture in the country.
In the last five decades, most academics harboured the notion that indigenous higher education programmes were low in quality compared to the programmes in the western countries, and that higher education infrastructure could not initiate doctoral research. That’s precisely why, higher education opportunities remained few and far between for many students. One look at facts and figures would cut a sorry picture of higher education in the last 50 years in terms of output in Pakistan. It was not because the young people did not have the required aptitude, but because of the limited opportunities available to them at different universities. Now, it is heartening to note that the situation is rapidly changing.
In this regard, the question of ‘quality and quantity’ has international significance. No one can eliminate the element of quality as far as higher education goes. Nevertheless, quality is not an abstract word, but an observable phenomenon. Unfortunately, it is sometimes used as a double-edged sword. These days, many developments can be witnessed in higher education for the first time in the history of the land. It will de-monopolize the hold of the academics who used to look down upon any indigenous academic research initiative.
Higher research programmes at most public sector universities have now been marked with red tape. Previously, procedures for admission, approval for the research proposal, research and evaluation were so subjective and time-consuming that a PhD degree could stretch to eight years in spite of timely completion of research by the candidate. A PhD programme was so complicated that a very few graduates would be attracted to it. For instance, at the University of the Punjab, a three-year MPhil degree was a prerequisite for obtaining a PhD in English language or literature. One can imagine how many graduates would be inspired to go for such taxing programmes after completing their MA.
The above-mentioned requirement was for a PhD English programme only. On the contrary, at some other departments, one could directly opt for a PhD programme after doing one’s MA and it would not even require any kind of core studies. A similar situation prevailed at some other public sector universities. Therefore, a handful PhD researchers got to complete their course. Even among members of the university faculty, just 25 per cent held PhD degrees. It’s a natural outcome of erecting barriers in the way of higher education on various pretexts.
Against this backdrop, Dr Attaur Rehman, a scientist and educationist, was entrusted with the challenge to improve the higher education sector. The Higher Education Commission ordinance was promulgated in 2002 to establish a dynamic national institution for the advancement of higher education in the country. Since its inception, the HEC has literally revolutionized higher education through a multifaceted strategy addressing all fault lines. The idea to engage 5,000 PhD scholars in five years by awarding fellowships is a major contribution. It will be a gigantic stride towards uplifting higher education. It is commendable that the HEC is genuinely working for capacity-building of public and private higher education institutions, faculty development, foreign research fellowships, audit of higher education, and other similar projects. If its policies remain consistent, it will introduce a new era of educational development and excellence into Pakistan.
In this respect, some institutions are playing a pivotal role. The year 2001 proved to be the harbinger of smooth access to the much-confined higher education. It provided opportunities to a number of aspiring researchers, especially in the fields of art and humanities.
In 2000, one national institute in Islamabad was chartered as the National University of Modern Languages (NUML). From the outset, the academic leadership adopted a progressive approach to help this fledgling university. The university commenced its MPhil/PhD programmes in 2001 despite scarcity of funds and infrastructure. However, its management did not give in. This untraditional approach is responsible for providing many scholars access to higher education. In the last four years, the university has become, perhaps, the biggest centre for opportunities in higher education and research in the country, where wide-ranging programmes in arts and sciences are being offered. The NUML is perhaps the only university in Pakistan to have a separate faculty for its MPhil/PhD programmes. At present, over 400 scholars are engaged in specialized research at the university.
The NUML has blazed a trail in opening up higher research education. In its four-year life, it has become the only general state university with its campuses in Islamabad, Lahore and Karachi. It plans to expand further.
The university is also training armed forces officers from China and Saudi Arabia, in addition to the personnel of armed forces of Pakistan. The NUML campuses have the distinction of being devoid of any ethnic, political and religious bands.
Usually, public sector universities do not go for blue chip in the education market. Certain programmes, though not much sought after, are also offered for their relevance to the social uplift of the nation. No private sector university will afford to run higher degree programmes in Pakistan studies, Islamic studies, civics, sociology, literature and regional languages. The significance of these subjects can hardly be overemphasized. Public sector universities are open knowledge houses that cater to many a need and requirement of society. These institutions provide opportunities to all sections of populace through subsidized education. If these universities would expand and become more accessible, it will have a direct impact on the social development and empowerment of the lower stratum of society.
There is no magic wand to equip our campuses with all state-of-the-art facilities. An optimistic and dynamic vision will be sine qua non to enhance the quality and quantity of higher education. If the academic management is to wait for ideal circumstances, they will maintain the status quo.
The University of Sargodha is yet another example of a dynamic public institution. It was established in 2002. The university has developed its academic programmes as well as infrastructure considerably during a short span of time. It has also launched MPhil/PhD programmes in various disciplines. Recently, the HEC announced a hefty package for further improving the university.
The new culture of higher research education and specialization has attracted a large number of graduates from all disciplines, motivated to pursue research work. When state institutions are determined to offer opportunities to a large number of scholars, traditional sycophancy should not hamper the promised advancement. Sadly, sometimes professional hegemony and bias whip up the ‘quality-quantity’ controversy. Here it has to be understood that there will always be room for improvement, but the genesis of competitive culture will gradually lead towards excellence. It is time to take solid steps towards achieving further improvement in higher education. In this regard, the scholars who are investing their efforts in research work will make an obvious impact on national development.
Higher education is vital to the socio-economic growth of any country. Pakistan is no exception. Recently, the government’s policy of prioritizing higher education and putting a decent amount of money into this particular field has led to the emergence of a vibrant research culture in the country.
