PHEC launches split PhD scholarship plan

LAHORE

Punjab Higher Education Commission (PHEC) has launched a split PhD scholarship programme to be offered to faculty members of universities and colleges to pursue their PhDs in top academic institutions of the world. 

In this regard, PHEC has started a pilot project and initially it would offer six scholarships to the faculty members of Punjab University’s Institute of Social and Cultural Studies.  An MoU signing ceremony was held at Committee Room of PU Vice-Chancellor’s office. PHEC Chairman Prof Dr Nizamuddin, PU VC Dr Zaffar Mueen Nasir and Dean Faculty of Behavioural and Social Sciences Prof Dr Zakria Zakir were present on the occasion. 

Addressing the meeting, Dr Nizamuddin said the MoU was related to pilot Split PhD Scholarship Programme offered for extending opportunities of higher learning and research to the faculty of public sector universities and colleges. He said PHEC was taking steps for capacity building of teachers serving in institutions of higher learning. He said the programme would be a good opportunity for the teachers to complete their PhDs from foreign universities. He said PHEC had taken several initiatives to improve quality of higher education in the province and this programme would also provide a golden opportunity for talented teachers to polish their research skills and get international exposure.  Resultantly, he said, they would provide quality education and impart quality research skills to their students. 

Dr Zaffar Mueen Nasir lauded the initiative of PHEC and said now it was now up to faculty members to benefit from the scholarships and get higher education from top-ranked universities of the world.

Dr Zakria Zakir said the selected teachers would have to complete one year of their PhD studies in Pakistan and two years in a foreign university. He said foreign thesis supervisors would also visit Pakistan under the programme.