There are twelve (12) Centres of Excellence established in different Universities of Pakistan under Act of XXIV of 1974 later amended by Act No IX of 1976.   The Government of Pakistan has been funding these Centres through recurring and developmental budgets, research grants and through block allocations. To ensure smooth governance, the Vice Chancellors of Universities are made Chairman of respective BoGs and the faculty of the University is represented along with other subject experts drawn from sister Universities/Institutions. These Centers are by and large under administrative control of Ministry of Education and financed by Government of Pakistan through Higher Education Commission.  

The HEC initiated performance evaluation for last 5 years in respect of Centres of Excellence/Area Study Centres and Pakistan Study Centres and a presentation was hosted by HEC on March 8, 2010. Later the Centres were asked to provide the information on a prescribed Proforma covering academics, governance and financial aspects of the Centres. Based on the data made available during the course of individual presentations and in documented form, a quantifiable analysis was carried out by HEC.

Data of the Centres of ExcellenceThe Centres were requested to submit a Three-Year Academic Development Plan to be subjected to documentary and Physical Evaluation by HEC. The Directors of the Centres made presentations regarding suggested Performance Plan for the period 2010-2013 in the premises of Higher Education Commission on Wednesday, 21^st July 2010 in presence of the Chairman, Board of Governors.

·       to engage in goal-oriented high-level teaching and research

·         to train researchers; to establish M.Phil, Ph.D and other programmes in the relevant discipline

·         to promote-cooperation in inter-disciplinary relationship with other teaching and research establishments

·         to arrange conferences, seminars and refresher courses for the development of teaching and research.

   

S. No	Name/University.
1	National Centre of Excellence in Geology, University of Peshawar.
2	National Centre of Excellence in Physical Chemistry, University of Peshawar, Peshawar.
3	Centre of Excellence in Arts and Design, Mehran University of Engineering and Technology Jamshoro. MUET
4	Centre of Excellence in Gender Studies, Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad.
5	National Institute of Historical and Cultural Research, Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad.
6	National Institute of Psychology, Centre of Excellence, Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad.
7	Centre of Excellence in Marine Biology, University of Karachi, Karachi.
8	Centre of Excellence in Water Resources, University of Engineering & Technology, Lahore.
9	Centre of Excellence in Molecular Biology, University of the Punjab, Lahore.
10	Centre of Excellence in Solid State Physics, University of the Punjab, Lahore.
11	Centre of Excellence in Analytical Chemistry University of Sindh, Jamshoro.
12	Centre of Excellence in Minerology, University of Balochistan, Quetta.