‘Degree awarding private institutes can’t offer franchise’

LAHORE

Punjab Higher Education Commission (PHEC) has made it clear that no private degree awarding institution (DAI) will be allowed to offer its franchise, affiliation or study centre and directed the DAIs across the province to annul all such affiliations and franchises, and stop current admissions immediately. 

The decision was made during a meeting of the PHEC governing body on Thursday which was held to address the issues of unlawful sub-campuses, affiliations and franchises of private sector DAIs in Punjab.

PHEC chairperson Prof Dr Muhammad Nizamuddin chaired the meeting while Secretary Higher Education Department Punjab Nasim Nawaz, Muhammad Akram, Muhammad Aslam, LUMS Vice Chancellor Dr Sohail Naqvi, Dr Zafar Iqbal Qureshi, Dr Najma Najam and other members attended the meeting.

Meanwhile, according to a press release the commission after detailed deliberations decided unlawful sub-campus of any private sector DAI would not be allowed to operate.

Attention of the commission was also drawn towards newly established sub-campus of University of South Asia at Gujrat without approval from Chancellor/Governor.

The commission showed its serious concerns and decided to direct the university to immediately close the sub-campus of Gujrat. It added that DAIs cannot open a sub-campus without following the laid down procedure. In order  to ensure quality, special committees will be constituted for the evaluation of the performance and quality assurance of existing sub-campuses of private sector institutions. The commission decided to constitute an assessment committee for the evaluation of MPhil /PhD programmes being offered by private sector DAIs to ensure quality and standardisation of education in the province. The commission decided to strengthen the monitoring and evaluation programme of all DAIs.