An HEC Success Story - Establishment & Operation of Private Universities in Pakistan

Private sector investment at higher education started during 1980s with Aga Khan University, Karachi and Lahore University of Management Sciences, Lahore being pioneer private universities. The Government welcomed establishment of universities/degree awarding institutions by private organization and philanthropists cognizant of the fact that they will provide space for gradually increasing demand of student community, which is an important pillar for socio-economic uplift of the society. However, in absence of any regulatory mechanism many illegal institutions mushroomed in country causing degeneration of concept of quality education and inflicted great loss to the youth.

The Government of Pakistan viewed the derogatory conditions of education with great concern and constituted Committees and Task Forces to make recommendations for streamlining the higher education sector. After threadbare deliberations, Higher Education Commission was incorporated through a Presidential Ordinance in September 2002 and mandated to work as a sole regulatory body of higher education in the country with the powers for evaluation, improvement and promotion of higher education, research and development. Prof. Dr. Atta-ur-Rahman, NI, SI, TI and UNESCO Science Laureate was made first Chairman of the Commission and assigned the task to make Pakistani universities/institutions superlative seats of learning and research. Since its inception the HEC initiated steps to ensure access, quality and relevance of education in universities/institutions so that graduating students may become real builders of future of the nation. The Commission also visualized that the products of the universities would be morally, ethically and mentally sound to be good citizens.

Meanwhile, the Federal Cabinet approved guiding principles for establishment of a new university/institute namely ‘Criteria/Guidelines for Establishment of a New University/Institution of Higher Education’ and already established universities/institutions were allowed a grace period of five years to satisfy minimum requirements set out in the Criteria.

First ever meeting of Chancellors of universities and degree awarding institutions was held on May 11, 2004 to further cement the efforts for improvement of higher education. The meeting was chaired by the President, Islamic Republic of Pakistan and attended by Prime Minister of Pakistan, all Provincial Governors, the President AJ&K, the Chairman, HEC and others. The outcome of deliberations covered a broad spectrum of activities for ensuring enhancement of educational standards and research. It also emphatically stressed on effective implementation of Cabinet criteria by the federal and provincial government/s in true letter and spirit. On request from the private sector, the Chancellors’ Committee extended grace period of meeting Criteria requirements upto June, 2008 during its second meeting.

In pursuance of the decisions of Chancellors’ Committee, the Chairman, HEC desired for inspection of all the private sector universities/institutions in relation to satisfying Criteria requirements. Accordingly two member Inspection Committee comprising Director General (Accreditation & Attestation) and Director General (Audit) carried out visits of private sector universities/institutions. Based on inspection reports, categorization of private sector universities/institutions was made public through advertisement in national newspapers, wherein the universities/institutions have been categorized into four types captioned : Category ‘W’ =‘Universities/Institutions meeting major requirements’; Category ‘X’ =‘Universities/Institutions with minor shortfalls, expected to meet the Cabinet criteria by 2007; Category ‘Y’ =‘Universities/Institutions not meeting the major requirements’; and Category ‘Z’ =‘Universities/Institutions seriously deficient’. The deficient universities/institutions were asked to satisfy Criteria requirements and submit phase-wise development plans for fulfillment of requirements in stipulated time-frame. The Commission continued with its drive to ask the deficient universities/institutions to satisfy the Criteria requirements and because of its relentless efforts the universities/institutions has shown tremendous progress and at present there are 37 universities/institutions in Category W, 15 universities/institutions in Category X, 2 universities/institutions in Category Y and 3 universities/institutions in Category Z as compared to result of first inspection of 11, 18, 11 and 13 in Category W, X, Y and Z respectively. This shows substantial progress made by sponsors of private universities/institutions in satisfying Criteria requirements.

The Commission is pursuing a liberal policy for establishment of universities/institutions to attract sound entrepreneurs to play their effective role in nation building process. The establishment of a new university/institution is a multi-step process involving legal formalities as well as making available the required physical, human and financial resources as set out in the Criteria.

In a nutshell, the Commission is striving for promotion of higher education in the country as per mandate of the HEC Ordinance to make Pakistan a prosperous country.