The National Academy of Higher Education (NAHE), HEC on Monday organised the launching ceremony of National Outreach Programme for the faculty and management of universities. The initiative, being executed in 64 public sector universities in Phase-I, aims to elevate the capabilities of faculty and administrative management through dedicated training funds and structured outreach to enhance their quality for optimum performance and contribution to their institution. The programme is structured to equip the young faculty of public sector universities established during the last 20 years at their doorsteps and focus enhancing their teaching, learning and research capabilities. It is a four-week training programme for faculty members — lecturers and Assistant Professors. An amount of Rs. 3.5 million will be provided to the host university for the training. The capacity building programme for university management is aimed at equipping the administrative staff of public sector universities established during the last 10 years at their doorsteps. The programme will empower management of the higher education institutions (HEIs) with multiple managerial and leadership skills to handle complex problems and challenges relevant to their job assignments effectively through rigorous training. Focusing to develop a significant change in their interpersonal, communication, decision-making and team building skills, enabling to lead and manage their institutional responsibilities in a more effective manner. An amount of Rs 1.5 million will be provided to the host university for this one-week training. Addressing the Vice Chancellors of the selected universities on the National Outreach Programme, Chairman HEC Dr. Mukhtar Ahmed underscored the significance of this initiative in strengthening Pakistan’s higher education system by emphasising the transformative role of well-prepared faculty and management in achieving academic excellence. He said that HEC encouraged universities to maximise the impact of these resources by creating sustainable training modules that benefit their institutions over the long term. Dr. Mukhtar Ahmed appreciated the proactive efforts of NAHE team, mentioning their dedication to designing a programme that directly addresses the professional development requirements of the faculty and management at public sector universities. He urged the Vice Chancellors to take full advantage of the allocated resources and work toward replicating one training programme independently within their respective institutions. He stressed the need for maintaining the ongoing communication with HEC regarding their training offerings and encouraging collaboration with nearby institutions to maximize the impact of the programme. Managing Director NAHE Ms. Noor Amna Malik and NAHE team members also attended the ceremony, wherein heads of HEC Regional Centres were also invited to provide additional support to universities within their regions. NAHE is the national hub for the capacity building and continuous professional development of teaching faculty and management of HEIs across Pakistan. NAHE key functions include designing and implementing professional training programs that enhance the skills, knowledge, and leadership capacities of academic and administrative staff of HEIs for the capacity building and continuous professional development.