‘Varsities are recognised by qualified faculty, not impressive buildings’

Higher educational institutions are recognised not by its amazing buildings or infrastructure, but by its qualified faculty and quality of education. The qualified faculty is imperative for improving the quality of education and research in varsities, and the faculty members must do online courses regarding their subjects from top-ranked universities of the world.

These views were expressed by former Higher Education Commission chairman Professor Dr Atta-ur-Rehman, Senator Abdul Haseeb Khan, Arif Habib, Majyd Aziz Balagamwala and others while addressing the 33rd Board of Governors meeting of the Dadabhoy Institute of Higher Education (DIHE), Karachi.

Unfortunately, education and health were the most neglected sectors of the country, they said, adding that research in the field of science and technology must be promoted to make Pakistan a developed state.

The meeting, chaired by DIHE Chairman Abdullah Dadabhoy, approvals were given to the recent selection boards of faculty members and employees.

Dr Atta-ur-Rehman lauded the efforts of Vice Chancellor Professor Shahana Urooj Kazmi for the academic and research uplift of the Institute. He observed that the faculty of the DIHE was well- qualified and the institute had the largest number of permanent PhD faculty members in any private sector university of the country.

The vice chancellor/rector of the DIHE, Professor Dr Shahana Urooj Kazmi, told the meeting that her institute had received a 94 percent score in the HEC ranking of Quality Enhancement Cells across Pakistan, “which is indeed a great achievement”.

“The Faculty of Law has been re-launched with a new programme and a renowned former judge Justice Sarmad Jalal Osmani, former justice Supreme Court of Pakistan and former chief justice Sindh High Court, has joined DIHE last year as Dean Faculty of Law.”

She mentioned that the DIHE was the second private sector institute of the country accredited from the Pakistan Bar Council for its law programme. “The enrolment since I joined the institute has more than been doubled, from 3,000 students to more than 7,000 students right now. It’s all because of the quality education, dedicated faculty members and state-of-the-art facilities to the students.”