KARACHI, Sept 5: The Higher Education Commission (HEC) on Monday linked the future funding to all public sector varsities/degree-awarding institutions with their overall performance, including the level of compliance with the governance criteria and the policy initiatives prescribed by the HEC. The status of the compliance by all varsities, of important guidelines, policy decisions of the HEC will be placed before the Chancellors’ Committee for review.

HEC chairman Prof Dr Attaur Rahman asked all the varsities to provide by Sept 20, the implementation status of various recommendations/guidelines of the HEC with respect to the degree of their implementation.

They have also been asked to provide the exact time limit by which each of the prescribed actions will be completely implemented and put into practice.

The universities have been asked to particularly report on the introduction of 4-year undergraduate programmes in all the departments of university (intimation of a definite time frame for compliance), compliance of Customer Fault Management System ( CFMS) with NTC in PERN project, compliance of rules for promotion from BPS 20 to 21 and from 21 to 22 (proposed statues regarding promotion to Meritorious Professor (BPS21 and 22), criteria for the appointment and promotion of faculty members, University-Industry Liaison Cell and development of required programmes, submission of PCIV for the projects completed in 2002-03 and 2003-04 and transfer of recurring liability to the revenue budget ,computerization projects of the varsities, etc.

Showing concern over implementation progress of critical issues and slow response to the HEC directives by some varsities, the HEC chairman stated that regular feed back was required by the HEC to assess the outcome of its policy initiatives and to resolve implementation impediments, if any, in this respect.

“It is worth noting that the delay in implementation often diffuses the impact and relevance of a given intervention”, added the chairman.

The meeting of Chancellors’ Committee which is scheduled to be held in the end of September will be presided over by the president of Pakistan and will be attended by the prime minister, the four provincial governors, HEC chairman, the chief ministers and others.—PPI