The Chairman of the Higher Education Commission (HEC), Professor Niaz Ahmed Akhtar, said that the commission is committed to introducing comprehensive reforms in the higher education sector and is taking key steps to align universities with national needs and global trends.
He announced that a three-credit-hour course on Artificial Intelligence (AI) will be made mandatory at the undergraduate level in all universities across Pakistan to prepare students for the demands of the digital economy.
He said that an Outcome-Based Education Committee has been established to improve university education by reviewing curricula, learning outcomes, and examination systems.
According to the HEC chairman, a special committee has also been formed to strengthen research, innovation, and commercialization offices in universities. The aim is to promote collaboration between industry and academia and to convert research into commercial products and solutions.
He further stated that HEC has decided to make the degree and document verification system completely online, after which students will not need to visit HEC offices for verification.
To improve the global ranking of Pakistani universities, a ranking committee has also been established to guide institutions in enhancing their international standings.
Special committees are also being formed at the provincial level for higher education reforms, which will include vice chancellors, provincial HECs, and representatives of higher education departments.
Professor Niaz Ahmed Akhtar added that HEC will review the quality of degree programs in engineering, medical education, and agriculture to align them with international standards.
He said work is also underway to make the undergraduate admission testing system more transparent and standardized, noting that the quality of university graduates depends on the quality of incoming students.
He also said a proposal is under consideration to make it mandatory to obtain an NOC from HEC before legislation for establishing new universities.
The HEC chairman added that 65,000 laptops have already been distributed among students under the government laptop scheme, while the remaining laptops will be distributed soon.
He also emphasized that universities are being encouraged to promote applied research and entrepreneurship so that research projects can be transformed into practical solutions, new products, and economic opportunities.
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