Daily Times

ISLAMABAD: The Working Group on Higher Education Reforms, comprising senior academicians and experts, has appreciated the selection process and advertised criteria for the appointment of the chairman of federal Higher Education Commission (HEC).

The advertised criteria is in line with HEC Act through which only reputed academicians of international eminence with significant contributions in higher education could be considered for this important slot. There is no age bar in the advertisement which deprived certain eligible candidates the last time to apply for the position of chairman HEC.

Federation of All Pakistan Universities Academic Staff Association (FAPUASA) President and Coordinator of the working group Murtaza Noor hoped that a search committee would ensure transparent and merit based appointment of the HEC chief inlight of verdicts/guidelines of Supreme Court of Pakistan and recommendations of the working group which has been developed in consultation with the concerned stakeholders.

Murtaza Noor further said that as per the recommendations, controversial candidates should be avoided to be considered for this important slot as only capable and honest leadership could meet the challenges associated with the higher education sector.

The FAPUASA president also hoped that the search committee would review the previous appointment process so that learning from past, the appointment of the new chief chairman should be undertaken through a transparent, open and competitive process.

Published in Daily Times, February  26^th 2018.