A New Chapter for Higher Education: Navigating the Complex Landscape
The Future of Higher Education Regulation: A Tough Task Ahead
After a period of anticipation, the Higher Education Commission (HEC) has appointed a new leader. While the HEC's role as a regulator is well-established, the post-18th Amendment landscape presents a unique challenge. The HEC has brought about positive changes, such as regular university program monitoring and promoting scholarship opportunities. However, recent years have been marked by issues that demand immediate attention.
Justifying the HEC's Existence: A Post-Devolution Dilemma
The HEC chair must assert the institution's relevance in the wake of power devolution to the provinces. There is an overlap of roles and responsibilities between federal and provincial authorities. For instance, launching a new academic program requires statutory approval from both federal and provincial higher education bodies, creating a complex and time-consuming process.
Performance Review: Streamlining the Process
The HEC, provincial bodies, and professional accreditation organizations all conduct performance reviews of university programs. This results in universities undergoing multiple evaluations, causing unnecessary strain. A unified mechanism for performance review, involving all relevant parties, is essential to streamline the process and reduce administrative burden.
Amending the Laws: Focusing on Regulatory Role
The HEC must initiate a consultative process to amend its governing laws, with a focus on its regulatory function. Quality control, curriculum revision, international grants, research support, and coordination with international higher education bodies are key areas the HEC should retain. A strong regulatory framework ensures the quality and relevance of higher education.
Safeguarding University Autonomy: A Crucial Balance
University autonomy is a cornerstone of higher learning, yet it has been threatened by arbitrary changes to study schemes without proper consultation. Public sector universities, in particular, have traditionally functioned as autonomous bodies, with few misusing this freedom. However, recent interventions by provincial governments, accreditation bodies, and even the HEC itself, have undermined this autonomy.
Research Grants and Prioritization: A National Agenda
The HEC must review research grants and ensure they align with national priorities. University faculty often pursue funding opportunities without considering the relevance of the research to our context. Critical courses requiring research support are often overlooked. For instance, there is a lack of research on enhancing the employability of our graduates in the local and international job market.
A consultative process should determine the research agenda, prioritizing pressing national issues. Local experts should be involved in identifying the root causes of problems like poverty and developing solutions, with the opportunity to test these solutions through pilot projects.
Promoting Intellectual Freedom: Challenging Intolerance
Our universities have become captive to intolerance and right-wing narratives, threatening the very essence of academic institutions. Universities should be places where dissent is respected and the status quo is challenged. Public sector universities, in particular, have a rigid code of conduct for professors, limiting intellectual freedom and expression. The new HEC chief could promote an environment that encourages debate and protects the rights and safety of teachers and students.
The writer, an academic and researcher based in Karachi, highlights the complex challenges facing the HEC and the higher education sector. It is a call to action, urging a reevaluation of the HEC's role and a commitment to preserving the autonomy and intellectual freedom of our universities.
