'Governance is key to elevating Pakistan's universities globally'

Higher Education Commission (HEC) Chairman Dr Mukhtar Ahmed has said that the education system in Pakistan has the "ingredients" to be ranked among the top universities of the world, but lacks proper governance, contributing to the decline of its universities in global rankings.

His remarks came as he spoke on Geo News' programme "Geo Pakistan" earlier this week while reacting to a recent survey that revealed that no Pakistani university made it into the top 350 in the world.

According to the latest statistics issued by the global university ranking organisation QS (QS), Quaid-e-Azam University and the National University of Science and Technology (NUST) are the highest-ranked, at 354th and 371st respectively. 

The University of Karachi, the country's largest university, barely made it into the top 1,001, with no other university from Sindh ranking in the top 1,500. This led to the role of private universities being questioned. 

While charging exorbitant fees, many private institutions are reportedly far from achieving global recognition. This raises concerns about the value of degrees obtained, particularly for students considering international opportunities after paying substantial tuition. 

Despite the grim news, Ahmed highlighted a positive development, noting that 18 Pakistani universities have entered the top 1,000 globally, a significant improvement from just three universities in 2019.

He also noted that Pakistan possesses the "ingredients" for a stronger educational system. 

"The nation has produced graduates who have excelled globally, even outperforming individuals from much larger countries," he said. The key, however, lies in addressing three to four fundamental issues."

He emphasised "governance" as the most critical. 

"Improving governance within educational departments is a crucial step towards resolving many existing issues," Ahmed asserted.

The second major problem he identified was "quality". 

"While universities now have autonomy and are under provincial administration, the HEC's role is limited to providing a system and minimum standards."

Furthermore, Ahmed highlighted that the perception that universities have become mere "employment exchanges" rather than centres of academic excellence is yet another challenge for the education industry to address.

Additionally, he said that investment in Pakistan's education sector has been "inconsistent", characterised by fluctuating budgets since 2002. 

He pointed out that the development budget for education has been reduced, further widening the gap between Pakistani universities and their global counterparts. 

"The budget of even a single top 500 university in the West often surpasses the entire higher education budget for one university in Pakistan."

He called for "ownership and investment" in the youth to enable Pakistani universities to compete with the world's best.