ISLAMABAD: In order to make higher education more accessible to students, the Higher Education Commission (HEC) has decided to set up sub-campuses of various universities in 16 districts in the country.

HEC Chairman Dr Mukhtar Ahmed said this constitutes the nrst phase, and the commission would later move to other districts. He added that the sub-campuses will only offer undergraduate programmes.

Under the project, 16 public sector universities` sub-campuses will be established in districts that have a potential intake of 1,000 to 1,500 students. In districts where the population is less dense, the HEC will set up Virtual University and Allama Iqbal Open University campuses.

The commission will provide funding forinfrastructure and faculty development, as well as other allied facilities. Respective provincial governments shall extend necessary support in terms of the provision of buildings to begin academic activities, or free of cost land to set up a university or sub-campus.

The chairman said many districts need higher learning institutions. `Realising this need, the federal government has decided to set up sub-campuses in the maximum number of districts,` he said. He added that a committee headed by Federal Minister for Planning Ahsan Iqbal will overlook the progress of the entire project, likely to be completed by the end of 2018.

Pakistani universities have lagged behind other Asian educational institutions, and no Pakistani university has ranked within the top 100 universities in Asia in the recent Times Higher E ducation rankings. But instead of improving thequality of education being offered in over 100 existing public sector institutions, the HEC has elected to set up sub-campuses in various districts.

Dr Ahmed admitted that `quality is a big issue`. `We are taking various initiatives to improve the quality of education, but you can`t ignore access to higher education. In many districts, particularly in Balochistan, there is no facility for higher learning for students,` he said. He said the commission is simultaneously focused on improving the access to and quality of education.

The HEC has directed all the universities to initiate a minimum of two to three programmes at the sub-campuses with the qualified faculty.

The sub-campuses to be established in the first phase include a Karakoram International University sub-campus in Hunza, the University of Poonch inForward Kahuta, the University of Balochistan in Pishin and Dera Murad Jamali, the Lasbela University of Agriculture Water and Marine Sciences in Uthal, the Sardar Bahadur Khan Women University in Naushki, the University of Hazara in Battagram, the University of Swat in Shangla, Gomal University in Tank, the Kohat University of Science and Technology in Hangu, Shah Abdul Latif University in Ghotki and Shahdadkot, Shaheed Benazir Bhutto University in Sanghar, the Institute of Business Administration in Kashmir, Sindh Agriculture University in Umerkot, and the Mehran University of Engineering and Technology in Jacobabad.

A total of 15 Virtual University sub-campuses will also be established, two in Gilgit-Baltistan, one in Fata, five in Balochistan, one in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, four in Punjab and two in Sindh.