Complete refund of fee under PM’s reimbursement programme okayed

ISLAMABAD: The Higher Education Commission (HEC) on Friday gave approval for complete refund of fee to students under the Prime Minister’s Fee Reimbursement Scheme. Previously, only the tuition fee was being refunded.

The 32nd meeting of the Higher Education Commission’s governing body was held at the Commission Secretariat to discuss various issues and policies pertaining to the functioning of HEC. The commission members stressed the need for upholding all quality parameters set by the commission on different university affairs.

The commission approved the HEC Selection Board for appointment and promotion of HEC officers. A total of three directors were promoted as Director General while three DGs were appointed through direct selection while approval was accorded for promotion of five persons as directors along with appointment of two directors for the IT Division. In addition, two project directors were also appointed one for Phase II of Indigenous PhD Fellowships and the other for PhD Scheme under the Aghaz-e-Huqooq-e-Balochistan as well as a project manager for the Prime Minister’s Laptop Scheme.

The commission discussed progress and programmes related to Research and Development (R&D) and proposed formation of technical committees to review its various policies including initiatives regarding Pakistan Programme for Collaborative Research Access to Scientific Instrumentation Award of Travel Grants to Universities Faculty and Researchers Grants for Organizing Seminars Entrepreneurship patent filing Offices of Research Innovation and Commercialization (ORICs) National Research Programme for Universities (NRPU) Business Incubation Centres etc, said a press release.

The Commission also gave conceptual approval of Pakistan Change Maker Award which is an annual idea challenge created by HEC and its national and international partners aims to solicit and fund innovative ideas that will positively impact socio economic development of the country. The Commission called for a stringent transparent process for the selection of Vice Chancellors all over the country through VCs Search Committee.