ISLAMABAD, Nov 4: The Higher Education Commission (HEC) has approved “Better Incentives for Faculty Members Programme” to award incentives to faculty members of public sector universities and institutions.

In this regard, the HEC chairman, Prof (Dr) Attaur Rahman, has written to all vice-chancellors to adopt the scheme in their respective universities and institutions.

The letter states the award of incentives should be performance-based and it must be ensured that the faculty members have an excellent and unblemished record to their credit.

Under the scheme, each university may award three or more monthly salaries in a year to in-service regular faculty members based on their research performance profile including: research publications of national and international repute, number of M. Phil, PhDs supervised, grants won at national and international level and honours, awards received.

The assessment of eligible faculty members for grant of incentives should be carried out through Peer Review Committee of experts and eminent scholars.

The committee will include nominees of the Commission and the university, institute and centre concerned. The incentives would be extended purely on merit but in no case the number of recipients would exceed 25 per cent of the faculty strength in each department. Proper system of monitoring of incentives to faculty members would also be adopted to ensure that the really deserving faculty members of the universities are getting incentives. —APP