HEC Evaluates Performance of Area Study Centres
The Higher Education Commission (HEC) as a follow up of its meetings between its representatives and the Ministry of Education convened a meeting of Directors of Area Study Centres at its headquarters on 3rd August, 2010.
Dr. S. Sohail H. Naqvi, Executive Director HEC chaired the first session of the meeting while Dr. Altaf Ali G. Shaikh, Member (Academics), HEC chaired the second session of the meeting. Mr. Muhammad Javed Khan, Adviser (Academics), HEC, Dr. Muhammad Latif, Director General (R&D), HEC were also present on the occasion.
From the Area Study Centres included Dr. Parveen Shah, Director Area Study Center for Far East and South Asia, University of Jamsohro, Dr. Sarfaraz Khan, Director Area Study Center for Russia, China and Central Asia, University of Peshawar, Dr. Naveed Ahmed Tahir, Director Area Study Center for Europe, University of Karachi, Dr. Munir Ahmed Baloch, Director Area Study Center for Middle East and Arab Countries, University of Balochistan and Dr. Rukhsana Qambar, Director Area Study Center for South and North America, Quaid-i-Azam University. Dr. Masoom Yasinzai, Vice chancellor, Quaid-i-Azam University graced the occasion with his presence while Dr. Mujahid Kamran, Vice Chancellor, University of the Punjab, joined the meeting via video conferencing.
The meeting discussed the performance of the Centres and set targets for next three years. The Directors expressed their point of view in free environment and advocated for more academic freedom especially for enrollment of M.Phil and Ph.D studies. They also desired for more representation in the academic forums of the University.
Dr. S. Sohail H. Naqvi while addressing the Directors suggested them to pursue focused study of the areas from different perspectives including socio-economic, cultural, historic, lingual and religious aspects. He also suggested the Directors to work for training of Human Resource capable of tackling various contemporary issues and work as think tank for Ministry of Foreign Affairs and other national agencies. To a query relating to non-availability of properly trained faculty, he suggested them to undertake multi-disciplinary projects and involve the services of qualified university faculty while enhancing inter-centre cooperation in teaching and research.