Daily Times

ISLAMABAD: The Higher Education Commission (HEC) has embarked upon the Textbook Writing Support Programme (TWSP) to enhance the competitiveness in Research and Development and to create a strong team of authors in the country by broadening the authorship cadre.

According to official sources on Thursday, potential author must have at least three years consecutive experience of teaching (graduate/undergraduate level in HEC recognised public/private sector universities/institutes across the country) that particular course, in which he/she intends to write a textbook.

The authors may write on diverse/selected topics following HEC approved curricula in new emerging fields such as Information Technology, Robotics, Biotechnology, as well as Basic Sciences, Social Sciences, Management Sciences, Behavioural Sciences, Arts and Humanities, Agriculture, Engineering and Health Sciences (except Islamic Studies, Pakistan Studies, Languages, and History).

Meanwhile, the interested authors who meet the eligibility criteria may get their textbook published directly from any one of the following publishers: Taylor & Francis, McGraw Hill, Pearson, and Oxford University Press.

The Sources said that HEC will get the review of the textbook from a panel of experts. On the recommendation of reviewers, HEC will offer Rs. 10,00,000/- for written textbook at Master’s/Doctorate level and Rs.8,00,000/- for Bachelor’s level textbook.

It is an open call so HEC will continue to receive the published textbooks with required documents from July 1, 2022 to June 30, 2023.

For detailed guidelines, please visit http://www.hec.gov.pk/twsp.

It is pertinent to mention here that textbooks play a central role in improving quality of education. They seek to compile and organize the cumulative human knowledge in major areas of expertise, and thus provide a resource for both students and faculty members.

Higher Education Commission’s Textbook Writing Support Program (TWSP) aims at providing an opportunity to the faculty members working in HEC recognized public and private sector universities and degree awarding institutes of Pakistan to increase their writing skills. Under this program, faculty members are extended financial assistance for writing of their research in the shape of textbook for undergraduate and graduate level.

The main objective of the HEC Textbook Writing Support Program (TWSP) is to promote the production of high-quality textbooks in physical as well as digital forms, by national authors for use as recommended or required reading at undergraduate or graduate level courses.

In addition, the ancillary objectives will also be achieved including to develop a world-class academic publishing industry in Pakistan, with a special focus on the textbook publishing industry.

The program will bring the work of national scholars to international attention and develop a high standards of quality control in academic publishing and popularize them among students as well as faculty members.

The another objective is to provide necessary facilitation to local authors to establish effective networks with the publishing partners for textbook development and publishing.

It also aims at to encourage and promote book writing culture based on local experience and information and to build capacity of faculty members in the publishing domain.