Number of chairs in foreign universities reduced

Pakistan’s ministry of education recently stopped the process of sending shortlisted candidates to represent Pakistan as chairs in 14 foreign universities. The candidates were finalised by a committee headed by Senator Syed Muzaffar Hussain Shah last year, but the education ministry has now decided to re-start the entire process and make appointments for only four to six chairs instead of 14, reports Dawn.

Pakistan has chairs in 14 foreign universities, including Germany, Turkey and China, which have been vacant for six to 10 years. The chairs were set up on a reciprocal basis and their holders used to deliver lectures aimed at promoting Urdu and the culture and history of Pakistan.

Sources said because of budgetary constraints the ministry had decided to reduce the foreign chairs. Last year when the selection was finalised, there was a budget of around PKR50 million (US$357,000) which was recently reduced by the federal government to PKR15 million.
Full report on the Dawn site