University VCs express trust in govt for higher education funds

Islamabad: The vice chancellors and rectors of public sector universities on Monday expressed trust in the government that the recent overall 10 per cent budget cut would not have any major impact on the overall budget of higher education sector.

While addressing a press conference after 23rd Vice Chancellors’ Committee Meeting, they negated the information shared through different sources on social and traditional media regarding budget cut on higher education sector. They said that there would be almost no impact on the fee structure or scholarships for the students.

“All scholarships scheme will remain intact and the raise in fee is expected to be from 2 per cent to 10 per cent depending upon the policy of the specific university. All financial stress on higher education sector would be tackled by increasing the financial efficiencies of the higher education institutions,” said outgoing Chair of the Committee Dr. Masoom Yasinzai.

He said that the committee has discussed nine different ways to generate funds through different means such as alumni engagement, improved linkages with the industry, sports activities, international linkages etc.

Vice Chancellor, Quaid-i-Azam University and new Chair of the Committee Dr. Muhammad Ali shared the details of meeting with the media. He also expressed trust in the government for its support for higher education sector.

The 23rd Vice Chancellors’ Committee Meeting was chaired by Dr. Masoom Yasinzai and was attended by 137 vice chancellors and rectors. The university heads appreciated the government’s commitment to higher education, while seeking government’s further support to meet the rising financial requirements of the universities. The meeting was also attended by Dr. Tariq Banuri, chairman Higher Education Commission (HEC) and Lt. Gen. (r) Muhammad Asghar, executive director HEC.

The meeting discussed that HEC undertook an extensive budgetary assessment exercise jointly with the Ministry of Finance, according to which the estimated requirement of the higher education sector for FY 2019-20 is Rs103.550 billion. However, the higher education sector, as per Indicative Budgetary Ceilings (IBCs), has been allocated a recurring grant of only Rs58.50 billion for FY 2019-20.

Acknowledging the Government’s support for higher education and research, the vice chancellors hoped that it would translate into significant release of funds. They also resolved to mobilise various non-government and non-tuition fee fundraising means and ensure initiatives aimed at efficient use of resources.

The meeting discussed in detail various agenda items including higher education sector’s funding and emerging challenges, four-year integrated undergraduate programme, relevance in digital age, and HEC policies and regulations.

Addressing the vice chancellors, Dr. Tariq Banuri highlighted the issues and challenges pertaining to financial crisis facing the higher education sector. He informed the meeting that President Arif Alvi, Prime Minister Imran Khan, Federal Minister for Education and Professional Training Shafqat Mehmood have assured him of their support to the higher education sector. “The sector has a strong and unambiguous support from the current government,” he asserted.

While government funding is the integral component, the chairman pointed out that the financial crunch can be addressed through three complementary components which are government support, non-government fundraising, and efficient use of resources. “We are also committed to undertaking complementary activities, namely fundraising and service efficiency.”

Proposing measures regarding fundraising, he said the sector needs to mobilise alumni to generate funds, seek philanthropists’ support, urge bilateral donations, non-tuition fee means like executive trainings, encourage and formalise consultancies, attract fee-paying foreign students, strengthen public-private partnership, streamline patents and royalties, and promote sports.

Referring to efficient use of resources, he said the operational expenditures need to be controlled while rationalising faculty to student and faculty to staff ratios, controlling non-salary expenses, and targeting of funds towards most important areas.

In his opening remarks, Dr. Masoom Yasinzai said the higher education sector is passing through a tough time as far as its financial requirements are concerned. He acknowledged that the government is facing economic hardships which has created this situation, however the sector will come out of these constraints with the government’s support. “The universities must play their role in fundraising and look for new avenues to generate funds, he stressed.

He appreciated Dr. Tariq Banuri for bringing much-needed reforms into the higher education sector. He assured that universities stand by HEC in its pursuit for excellence in the higher education sector. “We all are a family and have to work together for the uplift of this sector,” he stated.

On the occasion, Dr. Zulfiqar Gilani, Consultant Academics HEC briefed the vice chancellors on HEC’s plan with regard to four-year integrated undergraduate programme. He said HEC is exploring possibilities of developing the programme in order to inculcate in students the abilities of critical thinking, evidence-based observation and research, and lifelong learning.