Tuesday, December 30, 2003

Government of Pakistan Initiates Program to Recruit Qualified Faculty from Abroad

Government of Pakistan Initiates Program to Recruit Qualified Faculty from Abroad

Sent by the Deputy Chief of Mission Mr Muhammad Sadiq,
Embassy of Pakistan
Washington D.C.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Government of Pakistan, under its National Higher Education Policy, has initiated a unique program to recruit highly qualified faculty from abroad for rendering services in graduate research programs in different public sector universities/institutions in Pakistan. Applicants are invited for positions of Professor, Associate Professor and Assistant Professor in all fields, and particularly in academic disciplines related to science, technology and engineering. The duration of the contract will be at lease 1 year, and may be extended.

Over the past years, the Higher Education Commission (HEC) and the Ministry of Science and Technology have generated a tremendous capacity in the public sector universities in Pakistan to support quality graduate research and teaching. The current program hopes to build upon previous efforts by inducting the intellectual capital of foreign-based Pakistani academics and researchers into the system. To attract foreign faculty members, a comprehensive package has been announced, in addition to the various mechanisms already available for procuring research grants, research infrastructure and other support from HEC. The consolidated salary package for a foreign faculty hired under this program ranges from Pak Rs.150,000 to Pak Rs. 250,000 per month (average approximately US $ 3000.00 per month).

The goal of this program is to hire 300 foreign faculty members each year for the next 5 years to fill the vast gap of qualified research academics and Ph.D. supervisors in the higher education sector in Pakistan. Foreign faculty members, who will bring tremendous wealth of knowledge and research experience, will be expected to impart a modern and progressive outlook to research-based academic programs in Pakistani universities, and would set norms of international academic standards to be emulated by their local colleagues. Furthermore, the project will generate linkages between local and foreign institutions, encouraging long-term sustainable scientific collaborations. Foreign faculty members will be expected to supervise world-class graduate level research and deliver cutting-edge graduate level courses in their academic disciplines. HEC will ensure the provision of funds for supporting graduate students and associated research expenses. In the long-term the goal is to uplift the graduate programs in Pakistani universities and bring them up to international standards.

For further information, please also log onto www.hec.gov.pk/hec2/htmls/faculty.htm.. The point of contact for the program is:

Mr. Jalil Ahmad
Director General (Strategic Vision and Planning)
High Education Commission
Sector H-9, Islamabad, Pakistan

Phone 051-925-7492
Fax 051-925-8744

E-mail fthp@hec.gov.pk

Website http:// www.hec.gov.pk
======================================================
Copyright C. 2002 - 2004
Pakistan Science and Engineering Forum (R)
"Kindling the Flame of Science in Pakistan (TM)"
PakSEF (TM) Daily Science News Update
=====================================================

No comments: