Association of Private Sector Universities of Pakistan (APSUP) on Thursday hosted the fifth annual Rectors’ Conference in the federal capital, where Superior University presented the guiding principles of its newly developed “Character Mastery Framework”.
This framework emphasizes integrating character-building initiatives into academic structures, promoting leadership and ethical skills among students and incorporating these values into curricula. Speaking at the event, Federal Education Minister Dr Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui stated, “Education devoid of morals and values paves the way for selfishness, greed and destruction. To achieve character mastery, we must focus on grassroots.” Dr Mukhtar Ahmed, Chairman of the Higher Education Commission (HEC), praised Dr Sumaira Rehman, Rector of Superior University, for her efforts in initiating dialogue on character development with university rectors, emphasizing its necessity for youth.
In her address, Dr Sumaira Rehman shared that seven strategies were employed to implement the Character Mastery Framework at Superior University. “If we aim to train responsible citizens and leaders for tomorrow, character-building must be our top priority to cultivate a generation of wise and ethical leaders,” she added.
Dr Basit, President of the APSUP Federal Chapter, highlighted that the framework provides a roadmap for universities to integrate character-building into their academic programs. The conference featured international participation, including Edward Brooks, Director of the “Project for Character” at Oxford University, and Elizabeth Clifford, Research Fellow at the “Centre for Character and Virtues” at the University of Birmingham. They presented their institutions’ designs for character mastery frameworks to the attendees. On the final day, a panel discussion was held on the practical integration of character education into university curricula. The session was moderated by Syed Ali Mohsin Naqvi, Director of the “Center for Contemporary Islamic Sciences”. Panelists included notable academic leaders such as Dr Adnan Noor Mian, Vice Chancellor of ITU, Dr Muhammad Ali Shah, Vice Chancellor of Punjab University , Prof Dr Aftab Maroof, Rector of FAST National University, Prof Dr Bushra Mirza, Vice Chancellor of Fatima Jinnah Women University.
The panelists shared actionable strategies for incorporating ethical education into academic programs and discussed challenges faced by higher education institutions in achieving this vision.