The 55th Vice Chancellors’ Committee meeting, convened by HEC Pakistan, brought together over 100 Vice Chancellors and Rectors from public and private sector universities.

The 55th Vice Chancellors’ Committee meeting, convened by HEC Pakistan, brought together over 100 Vice Chancellors and Rectors from public and private sector universities. Approximately half of the number of VCs participated virtually due to country-wide austerity measures mandated by the Government of Pakistan. The meeting discussed higher education reforms, policy initiatives, sectoral challenges, and future priorities for national development
Chairman HEC Dr. Niaz Ahmad Akhtar chaired the meeting and formally launched HEC’s fully online and paperless degree attestation system, integrated with NADRA and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to enable rapid verification and eliminate physical visits and long queues.
In his keynote address, the Chairman congratulated the nation on the first anniversary of Marka-e-Haq, paying tribute to Pakistan’s military leadership, armed forces, and national unity, while acknowledging academia’s contribution towards innovation, self-reliance, and national security. He also highlighted reforms including policies on Dual, Double and Joint Degree Programmes, transnational education, digitalisation, and the National Skill Competency Test (NSCT) for IT graduates.
Executive Director HEC Prof. Dr. Zia Ul Haq briefed the forum on new policy interventions, revisions in university recognition guidelines, visiting faculty policy updates, and the financial constraints facing the higher education sector amid rising enrolment and operational costs. The meeting also featured the presentation of the Best Research Award 2025 and NRPU Awards 2025–26 recognising excellence in research and innovation.