AsiaNet-Pakistan Premier Editorial Content and Press Release Distribution Service
Islamabad, March 28, 2019 (PPI-OT): A delegation of Kyrgyz academicians led by Dr. Osman Tongusakov, Director Institute of Philosophy and Legal Research, National Academy of Science, Kyrgyzstan visited the Higher Education Commission (HEC) and called on Lt. Gen. (Retd.) Muhammad Asghar, Executive Director HEC and senior HEC officers at the Commission Secretariat here on Wednesday. The two sides agreed to develop collaboration in various academic fields including medical, engineering and agriculture.
Lt. Gen. (Retd.) Asghar briefed the delegation about the main objectives, functions and future plans of HEC. He said HEC is playing its pivotal role for evaluation, improvement and promotion of higher education in Pakistan. He maintained that the main objectives of HEC include increase in access to higher education, improvement in quality, and ensuring relevance of education and research to national needs. He underlined that since its inception in 2002, HEC has marked remarkable achievements in terms of access, quality and relevance. He said the number of universities has reached 195 with an increase of up to 9.1 per cent in enrolment ratio. He added that the number of research publications has reached 14,024 per annum as compared to a total of only 800 publication in 2002.
The Executive Director also shed light on HEC’s major international collaborations including US-Pakistan Knowledge Corridor, Pak-UK Education Gateway, and China-Pakistan Intellectual Corridor. He said HEC follows stringent measures to maintain quality and standards in the higher education institutions, safeguarding their autonomy and improving governance. He informed the delegation that HEC has streamlined the recognition, verification and accreditation of degree programmes of universities.
HEC extends all-out support to research and innovations through various programmes like Technology Development Fund, Offices of Research, Innovation and Commercialisation, Business Incubation Centres, and Patent Support Programme, he informed. He said HEC has set up 66 ORICs, 30 BICs and 184 Quality Enhancement Cells in universities.
In his remarks, Dr. Osman Tongusakov said Kyrgyz institutions aspire to develop collaboration with HEC, accreditation councils of Pakistan and Pakistani universities. He stated that the Kyrgyz universities are looking forward to having collaboration with HEC in order to improve its education system.
The Kyrgyz delegation comprised Dr. Asylbek Aidaraliev, Chairman, Board of Trustees, International University of Kyrgyzstan, Dr. Almazbek Irgashev, Vice Rector, Kyrgyz National Agricultural University, Mr. Keneshbek Erysov (PhD), Professor of Neurosurgery, Kyrgyz State Medical Academy, and Mr. Dmitrii Vashniakov, Dean, Medical Faculty of International University of the Kyrgyz Republic. The delegation will also visit different Pakistani universities during their stay in Pakistan.
From HEC, Ms. Noor Amna Malik, Adviser, Monitoring and Evaluation, Mr. Waseem S. Hashmi Syed, Consultant, Human Resource Development, Mr. Raza Chohan, Director General, Academics, Mr. Tahir Abbas Zaidi, Director General, Attestation and Accreditation and other officers attended the meeting.
For more information, contact:
Director (Media)
Higher Education Commission, Pakistan (HEC)
Sector H-9, Islamabad
Tel: +92-51-90402404, +92-51-90402412
Email: aikram@hec.gov.pk
Website: www.hec.gov.pk