LAHORE: The Punjab Higher Education Department (HED) on Thursday appointed vice chancellors of two women universities -- the Government College for Women University, Faisalabad, and the Government College for Women University, Sialkot.

As many as 11 public sector varsities in the province were still functioning without regular VCs for the last one and a half years, causing administrative as well as academic problems.

The process for appointment of VCs in all public sector universities in the province was on, and in this connection the interviews of the applicants for the slots in four varsities -- GCWU, Faisalabad, GCWU, Sialkot, Women University Multan and University of Home Economics, Lahore, had been held. According to officials, around 30 candidates were interviewed for the slot in each women’s university.

As per results, Women University, Swabi, VC Prof Dr Khanzadi Fatima Khattak, was appointed as VC of the GCWU, Faisalabad and Institute of Administrative Sciences, University of the Punjab, Director Prof Dr Nasira Jabeen as VC of the GCWU, Sialkot. Both vice chancellors were appointed for a full term of four years.

A senior HED official told Dawn that summaries for the appointment of VCs in the remaining two women varsities were pending with the chief minister office and the notifications would be issued in a day or two.

He said the tenure of VCs of four other universities of the province would also be ending in the current year.

The search committee for the specialised universities, including University of Engineering and Technology, Lahore, University of Engineering and Technology, Taxila and University of Home Economics, Lahore, has completed the interviews of the candidates and the HED would now send the summaries to the chief minister office for final approval.

The committee has yet to begin interviews for the post of VCs of general category universities --- Bahauddin Zakariya University, Multan, Islamia University, Bahawalpur, University of Gujrat, University of Narowal, and Government College University, Faisalabad.

Meanwhile, a search committee headed by Dr Ataur Rehman has completed interviews of 15 candidates for the post of chairperson of the Punjab Higher Education Commission (PHEC) on Thursday.

One of the members of the committee told Dawn that a summary comprising top three candidates for the PHEC chairperson slot had been drafted and would be sent to the CM office on Friday (today).

Published in Dawn, May 10th, 2019