Prof. Dr. Arshad Munir
Education is the process of imparting or gaining knowledge, developing the powers of reasoning and judgment and to help the young minds in improving confidence, and planning for career and personal growth. Education of the nation defines the roles they may play for the strength and growth of their country especially, when we talk about Tertiary education which is instrumental in developing growth, decreasing poverty, and increasing shared prosperity. It improves skills like time management, communication skills, critical thinking and social networking. However, the quality of higher education in Pakistan is often poor, due to several elements like insufficient funding, lack of qualified faculty, and obsolete teaching approaches.
The researchers argue that the Tertiary Education of Pakistan seems to be gruesome and unlikely to meet the needs of society in the dynamic environment and changed international scenario. Therefore, there is a dire need to pay serious attention to the renaissance in the education system especially at the tertiary level and we need that more in a situation when the same necessity is being felt in developed countries as well. The Bologna process is an excellent step & sample from European Countries to make tertiary level education world-class.
The “Bologna Process” is a series of ministerial meetings and agreements between European countries to ensure comparability in the standards and quality of higher education qualifications. It is a means to safeguard and improve higher education and research in the European region, as well as to increase transparency and mobility. Over the years, the Bologna Process has grown into a Europe-wide policy platform for coordinated higher education reforms. The core objectives of the Bologna Process are to increase access to higher education, improve the quality and attractiveness of European higher education, increase the mobility of students and teachers, and ensure the fruitful employment of university graduates by guaranteeing that all academic degrees and other qualifications are focused on the labour market.
The “Process” was in fact an idea discussed in a meeting of university rectors in Italy celebrating the 900th anniversary of the University of Bologna in 1988 which resulted in the “Magna Charta Universitatum”(Great Charter of Universities) consisting of only a two-page document defining main principles supporting the existence of universities such as academic freedom and institutional autonomy which further resulted in the “Bologna declaration” on June, 19, 1999, a key guiding text of the Bologna process by the European Ministers of Education. The Declaration proposed a “European Higher Education Area” in which students and graduates could move freely between countries, using prior qualifications in one country as suitable and acceptable entry requirements for further study in another. Despite the fact that the process does not have the status of EU legislation with no legal obligations, still their meetings are held regularly after two to three years on the government level since 1999.
With regards to our state, though, all the stakeholders are trying to improve the system, even then, need of concrete steps at the governmental level to take care of the issues of education, especially for tertiary level education is much required. Honourable President of Pakistan and Governors of the provinces, who are also the chancellors of all the universities in Pakistan, may sit together to institute a framework that may serve as a National inspiration and Action Lines (Line of Action) especially related to tertiary education. Worthy ministers (Federal/States/ Provincial ministers and advisors) who are mostly the Pro-Chancellors and Chairpersons of the Senate/ Syndicate should sit for announcing joint declarations like Bologna, Prague communiqué, the Berlin communiqué, the Bergen communiqué, Lisbon Recognition Convention etc. about the mutual cooperation and understanding related to higher education at the federal and provincial level.
The secretaries especially from HED and Finance Department must attend meetings of the syndicates/BOG of provincial/federal universities and contribute through their professional experience and exposure. I do appreciate Honourable Chief Justice Mr. Justice Qazi Faez Isa to see him attending a Syndicate meeting of Quaid e Azam University, Islamabad. He really owned his responsibility. His action is a beacon for all stakeholders and gives lesson to own the institutions.
Higher Education Commission of Pakistan is an independent, autonomous, constitutionally established institution and is responsible for formulating higher education policy and quality assurance to meet the international standards. The commission no doubt, is struggling in enhancing access, improving quality, and increasing relevance of higher education to the needs and requirements of Pakistan. However, there is still a lot of space to fill in. HEC proactively should liaise with provincial HEC’s and Chairpersons of the Syndicate by calling a national-level conference to discuss and share the ideas and proposals regarding the uniformity of Universities Act, statutes, policies, regulations etc. on the idea of Bologna process which would at least make us able to have a uniform system on country level.
The progress, achievements, notifications as well as minutes of all relevant committees must be shared and circulated to make all the stakeholders informed and well-aware. More attention is required on National Qualification Framework to make education easier and approachable. Credit Transfer and Accumulation Systems may be discussed on university level and be introduced and implemented as soon as possible which would also make migration and mobility easier and ultimately would bring understanding, coherence and cooperation among the students. The positive effects of this will be seen in the form of national harmony. We are confident for a positive impact on higher education and research culture in Pakistan during the leadership of Prof. Dr. Mukhtar Ahamd and Prof. Dr. Zia ul Qayum. Martin Luther King has rightly said, “We must accept finite disappointment, but never lose infinite hope.”
