PESHAWAR: The Khyber Medical University’s academic council has approved the establishment of MPhil and PhD programmes in Basic Medical Sciences at the KMU’s Hazara, Islamabad, and Dera Ismail Khan Campuses, starting from spring 2026.

The decision was taken in the 33rd meeting of the KMU academic council on Wednesday, a statement said. The meeting held under the chairmanship of VC Prof Ziaul Haq, was attended by deans, directors of institutes, senior professors, distinguished faculty members, and a student representative.

The council also approved several other significant academic initiatives, including convocation regulations, the launch of a Diploma in Dental Surgery Assistant (DSA), reforms in the curriculum of Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT), BS programmes in Speech & Language Pathology, Occupational Therapy, Prosthetics & Orthotics Sciences, and Audiology. Additionally, a special quota was approved for students from Azad Jammu & Kashmir in rehabilitation programmes.

Furthermore, new programmes were sanctioned such as MS Respiratory Therapy, BS Endoscopy Technology, BS Dental Hygiene, MS Clinical Psychology, Master in Anatomy, and PhD Chemical Pathology.

The council also approved the inclusion of Fahmul Quran courses (two credit hours each) at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels as per the HEC guidelines, while two credit hours of alternative courses were allocated for non-Muslim students.

Various certificate and diploma programmes were also endorsed, including Autism Spectrum Disorder & Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, Intelligent Anatomy: From Structure to Simulation, Health Data Sciences, and Artificial Intelligence in Leadership & Management.

It is worth noting that postgraduate programmes in Basic Medical Sciences have been successfully running at the KMU’s main Peshawar campus since 2011, producing dozens of researchers and specialists.

Extending these programmes to regional campuses marks a milestone for students who previously faced obstacles in pursuing higher education due to distance or relocation challenges.

Prof Zia stated that the KMU’s vision was to provide equitable opportunities for quality higher education and research across the province and the entire country.

He emphasised that these initiatives would not only meet the needs of local communities but also strengthened national capacity in medical research and improved the delivery of healthcare services.

Published in Dawn, September 4th, 2025