ISLAMABAD, July 6: Quaid-i-Azam University was established as a postgraduate university to disseminate high quality scientific research, and the Higher Education Commission (HEC) is determined to develop it into a high calibre institute of learning in the country.

Prof Dr Atta-ur-Rahman, Chairman, HEC, said this in a meeting with Quaid-i-Azam University Vice Chancellor U.A.G. Isani here.

Prof Ata said as compared with the previous year’s allocations, the university had been allocated a huge amount concerning recurring and development grants for the year 2003- 2004.

As compared to the development grants provided to the university during the year 2002-2003, which were only Rs32.8 million, these have now been increased to Rs315.75 million for the expenditure during the year 2003-04, he said.

He said the recurring grants for the university had been increased from Rs112.529 to Rs157.864 million, which also included a research funding component. He said an additional grant of Rs100 million was also provided to the university for the current year. Thus, the total funding to the university came to Rs472 million, reflecting an overall increase of above 250 per cent.

Meanwhile, a high level meeting of the Committee on Development of Social Sciences and Humanities was held at the Higher Education Commission (HEC) to look into the establishment of Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Pakistan, Faculty Development and a plan of action for uplifting social sciences education in the country.

The committee also discussed the matters regarding the imminent conference “The current scenario - The Emerging Trends in State of Social Sciences and Humanities” scheduled to be held under the auspices of the commission at Quaid-e-Azam University in terms of venue and evaluation of papers to be received with a view to choosing the topics relevant to the conference objectives.