LAHORE: The National Academy of Higher Education (NAHE) has signed a Memorandum of Commitment (MoC) with the Pakistan Planning and Management Institute (PPMI) to train Higher Education Commission (HEC) employees on a number of evidence-based required competencies.

The first training under this initiative entitled “Procurement and Financial Management” was held. Keeping Covid-19 directives in mind the mode of delivery was online.

In order to ensure participation and learning engagement, HEC employees have been divided into groups of 40-45. In order to measure learning and impact, a pre-assessment to gauge the current level of knowledge on procurement rules was conducted at the beginning of the workshop.

This will be a three-day training. The instructor took the participants through procurement and financial management rules for the Pakistan government as well as international financing bodies including the World Bank.

The procurement cycle, examples and evidence for the national context, and an overview of Public Procurement Rules were part of the workshop.

In the year ahead, NAHE will be working with multiple partners to provide the best quality capacity building opportunities to HEC employees. The priorities for target competencies have been based on a comprehensive training needs assessment held in 2020.

Additional training will cover foreign funding projects, monitoring and evaluation as well as project management.

The NAHE and PPMI teams will keep a close eye on NCOC and government directives and adapt the mode of delivery for training as required.

NAHE is established as a stand-alone, autonomous institution operating under the auspices of HEC to improve the quality of teaching, research and governance in Higher Education Institutions across Pakistan.

It is envisioned as the premier institution for quality research and teaching related to all aspects of higher education in Pakistan.

Published in Dawn, April 30th, 2021