Punjab Vice Chancellors Chart New Reforms for Higher Education

Lahore, Ali Imran Chattha 

The Punjab Higher Education Commission (PHEC), in collaboration with youth development organization Bargad, hosted the Vice Chancellors’ Conference 2025 in Lahore, bringing together more than 100 vice chancellors, rectors, policymakers, international experts, and civil society leaders to discuss reforms for strengthening Punjab’s higher education sector.

The conference focused on five key themes: academic excellence, research and innovation, quality assurance, financial sustainability, and good governance.

In the inaugural session, Dr. Iqrar Ahmad Khan, Chairperson PHEC, and Sabiha Shaheen, Executive Director Bargad, emphasized aligning higher education with global standards while keeping Pakistan’s national priorities in focus.

A session on global collaboration, chaired by Sardar Masood Khan, former Ambassador to the U.S. and China, featured experts such as Dr. Andreas Bürkert (University of Kassel, Germany) and Prof. Raheel Nawaz (Staffordshire University, UK), who stressed incorporating artificial intelligence, data science, and climate resilience into university programs by 2029.

Former HEC Chairman Dr. Tariq Banuri highlighted the importance of strengthening research and teaching innovation. Mrs. Shahnaz Wazir Ali, President SZABIST, stressed institutional reforms and quality assurance, while Prof. Dr. Nizamuddin, also a former HEC Chairman, spoke on financial sustainability, governance, and digital transformation.

A special session on social cohesion and civic values, co-chaired by Sabiha Shaheen and Prof. Dr. Moeed Yousaf, underlined the role of universities in fostering civic responsibility and societal harmony.

In the closing session, Mr. Haseeb Athar, former FPSC Chairman, called for greater investment in academic leadership and faculty development. The conference concluded with a joint declaration and reform roadmap for the future of higher education in Punjab.