HEC conducts workshops on framework for financial autonomy of public sector varsities

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KARACHI: Higher Education Commission (HEC), Pakistan under Higher Education Development in Pakistan (HEDP) project conducted two extensive capacity-building sessions for public sector universities on financial autonomy in Lahore and Karachi. Over 45 senior finance officials including treasurers and registrars from various public sector higher education institutions (HEIs) attended workshops.
First capacity-building session of quarter was held at HEC Regional Centre Karachi, while second was held in Lahore. HEDP has already trained more than 100 participants from different HEIs in last three years of project.
In first four-day training session in Karachi, more than 23 treasurers and allied staff of HEIs from across country including federal capital, Balochistan, Sindh and Punjab attended training. Thematic areas of training included features of framework for financial autonomy, better financial management, guidelines for endowment funds, internal and external audit, tax matters and practical examples for implementation of framework.
Chairman HEC Dr. Mukhtar Ahmed, Vice Chancellor Dawood University of Engineering and Technology, Dr. Faizullah Abbasi and Vice Chancellor Sindh Agriculture University Tandojam Dr. Fateh Muhammad Marri were present.
Dr. Mukhtar Ahmed stated that universities should keenly look for innovative ways to generate alternate revenue sources due to diminishing grants by government. He stressed need to digitalise HEIs processes for availability of key data for decision-making at click of button instead of relying on paper-based reports.
Dr. Faizullah Abbasi emphasised need for improvement in financial resource generation of public sector universities in wake of dwindling federal government grants and mounting expenditures due to inflation. Dr. Marri shared his experiences regarding governance and financial management of public sector universities.
Published in The Daily National Courier, April, 10 2023
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