HEC revises Chemistry curricula to align with evolving academic, industry needs

Islamabad : The Higher Education Commission (HEC) of Pakistan has issued revised curricula for Associate, Bachelor, and Master degree programmes in Chemistry, introducing significant updates to enhance academic quality and align education with contemporary industry and research demands. The revised standards have been developed by the National Curriculum Review Committee (NCRC), comprising senior academics from universities across the country.

Chaired by Prof. Dr. Muhammad Athar Abbasi from Government College University Lahore, with Muhammad Ali Baig, Deputy Director at HEC, serving as Secretary, the committee thoroughly reviewed and restructured the curriculum to ensure its relevance in an increasingly knowledge-driven world. Dr. Amjad Hussain, Director General, Academics Division at HEC, represented HEC and contributed towards the inclusion of emerging technologies in the field, ensuring that the revised curricula reflect the latest advancements in chemistry.

The new framework introduces a minimum of 71 credit hours for the Associate Degree in Chemistry and 137 credit hours for the BS Chemistry programme, ensuring a comprehensive academic foundation for students at both levels.

A key feature of the revised BS Chemistry curriculum is the introduction of fourteen specializations, allowing students to develop expertise in specific fields of Chemistry. These include Agricultural Chemistry, Analytical Chemistry, Biochemistry, Computational Chemistry, Environmental Chemistry, Forensic Chemistry, Fuel Chemistry, Industrial Chemistry, Inorganic Chemistry, Organic Chemistry, Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Physical Chemistry, Polymer & Materials Chemistry, and Soil Chemistry. Each specialization comprises seven specialized elective courses, with universities having the flexibility to offer advanced courses based on emerging scholarly and industry requirements.

Furthermore, institutions may introduce additional specializations in accordance with their faculty strengths and academic resources while following the prescribed framework set by HEC. Moreover, to strengthen the practical learning component, the revised BS Chemistry curriculum now mandates a supervised internship and a capstone project, each carrying three credit hours.

This initiative is aimed at ensuring that students gain hands-on experience and develop essential problem-solving and research skills before entering the workforce. However, this requirement does not extend to the Associate Degree programme.

For MS Chemistry, the committee has established a robust academic structure featuring two core courses, six electives, and a mandatory research thesis. Universities will have the flexibility to offer elective courses based on their faculty expertise and available academic resources. The updated standards also define key academic benchmarks, including eligibility criteria, programme learning outcomes, model schemes of study, course learning outcomes, and degree award requirements. However, the detailed syllabi and course contents will be determined by individual universities, ensuring adaptability to industry trends while maintaining the foundational integrity of the discipline.

HEC has formally advised all universities to adopt these revised curricula at the earliest to ensure uniformity and quality across institutions. The updated standards reflect HEC’s commitment to fostering an education system that is academically rigorous, research-driven, and responsive to the evolving needs of the industry and society.