HYDERABAD, Feb 25: A monitoring team of the Higher Education Commission visited the Sindh Agriculture University, Tandojam, on Friday to review academic programmes and progress on projects funded by the HEC.

Members of the team included Dr Khalid Mehmood Khan, vice-chancellor of the Arid Agriculture University, Rawalpindi, Dr Abdullah Sadiq, rector of the Ghulam Ishaq Khan Institute, Topi, Swabi, and Dr Riaz Ahmad Qureshi, adviser of the Quality Assurance and Learning Innovation, HEC, Islamabad.

The team was briefed by the director, advanced studies and research, SAU, on ongoing PhD programme and departmental infrastructure of degree-offering departments of the university.

Vice-chancellor Prof (Dr) Bashir Ahmad Shaikh told the team that the university had introduced HEC reforms, including introduction of new curriculum in all agricultural disciplines.

He said the university had decided to send PhD thesis abroad for evaluation by international experts.

He said enrolment of students in various programmes had increased during current year.

The vice-chancellor said syllabi in all disciplines were regularly being updated as per proposals sent by HEC curriculum committees.

He said the PhD programme had been regulated as per suggestions of the HEC and modern teaching and research facilities had been provided to PhD students.

He said over 34 scholars had been awarded PhD degrees in various disciplines and the enrolment was over 130 during last two years.

He said the university had made available computers in all teaching departments along with 10 computers in the central library’s internet centre and at present there were 300 computers available having internet connectivity.

The team inspected various laboratories, including those of departments of physiology and bio-chemistry, soil science, food technology, animal reproduction, veterinary physiology and bio-chemistry and livestock experimental station.