PESHAWAR, April 6: The Higher Education Commission has approved a plan for a hostel at the University of Engineering and Technology for visiting faculty. The project is estimated to cost about Rs15 million. According to a press release issued here on Wednesday, the decision was taken at a meeting held in Islamabad with Dr Akram Sheikh, chairman of Planning Commission, in the chair. Dr Atta-ur-Rehman, chairman of the HEC, attended the meeting.

The Vice Chancellor of UET, Syed Imtiaz Hussain Gilani, said the university had already hired foreign faculty to improve and upgrade research and academic activities at the university.

Mr Gilani said the university recently had a hostel for staff with 20 bedrooms which was not enough to accommodate the visiting faculty. The hostel would be completed within a year.