ISLAMABAD: HEC’s Higher Education Development in Pakistan (HEDP) project held its sixth Steering Committee meeting at the Higher Education Commission (HEC) Secretariat, Islamabad. The Steering Committee is the highest forum of the project comprising senior officials from federal ministries, provincial higher education departments, vice-chancellors, and private sector representatives. HEDP is a five-year national project (2019/20 - 2023/24) implemented by HEC to expand upon its key higher education priorities. The committee members reviewed the progress made so far on the project.

Dr Shaista Sohail, Executive Director, HEC chaired the meeting. In her opening remarks she said “Like every project, this project also has yearly financial and physical targets. At the end of every year in June, all the project deliverables are checked and validated. These evaluation reports are then shared with the World Bank to make financial disbursements to the Government of Pakistan for the project. I am glad that despite the financial, hiring and leadership challenges, the project as of today still stands at good financial and physical progress.’’

Project Coordinator Prof. Dr Mehmood ul Hassan Butt gave an overview of the HEDP project, its history, progress, future plans, and recently recruited staff. He briefed the committee on the key project initiatives, including the physical and financial progress of all the 11 project indicators called as Performance-Based Conditions (PBCs). In addition, it was apprised that the project is being restructured to support flood-related damages to HEIs in which a cost of Rs. 1.6 billion will be allocated for 14 worst affected universities/ institutes of Sindh, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan.

Technical heads of the project components updated members on the progress of each of the six components of the project including 44 research grants awarded this year. In addition, 15 Innovator Seed Funding (ISF) grants are also given to startups which are now being incubated in ORICs around Pakistan.

Published in The Daily National Courier, December, 30 2022

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