Moalims

ISLAMABAD: The Higher Education Commission (HEC) has claimed that the Comsats Institute of Information Technology (CIIT) is charging Rs1.3 million per student for a ‘worthless’ dual degree.

During a briefing on Wednesday to the Public Accounts Committee (PAC), HEC chairman Dr Mukhtar Ahmed said CIIT charged millions of rupees from students for a dual degree from CIIT and Lancaster University in the United Kingdom.

Dr Ahmed said the HEC had not been consulted when CIIT launched the programme. He said the commission was informed in 2013 that Comsats had started the programme and was charging £2,000 per student.

CIIT started offering the dual degrees in 2010. Their website says courses are taught both by their own staff and those of Lancaster University. It says their students can study part of their degree at Lancaster University campus.

Dr Ahmad told the committee that UK’s education council did not recognise CIIT’s degree and that when Lancaster University was contacted, the HEC learnt the British university only awards an MS degree after completion of five years of study, while CIIT was offering the degree after only four years of study.

The chairman added the HEC had found that Comsats’ courses were only taught by their own academic staff and no Lancaster University teachers were involved.

Dr Ahmad said after correspondence with Lancaster University and UK’s education council in 2013, the HEC had advised CIIT to scrap their dual degree programme.

The commission learned that Pakistan Engineering Council (PEC) also did not recognise Comsats’ engineering degree either.

The HEC chairman suggested CIIT be asked to refund £2,000 to each student or that they should fund one year’s study for their students at Lancaster.

PAC member Sheikh Rohail Asghar asked the HEC why they had not intervened in the matter in 2010 when CIIT started offering the program. He said laziness by the HEC has put students’ future at stake. In response Dr Ahmad said the HEC had no power to stop an institution from offering courses.

PAC member Mehmood Khan Achakzai asked Dr Ahmed whether the HEC had ever issued a notice to Comsat asking them to stop their programme to which the HEC chair said he was not head of the commission at the time. He said he had contacted the then chairman of the commission, Javed Leghari, who had said CIIT was seeking permission but that their request had been denied.

The PAC had summoned the rector and pro rector of CIIT to the meeting but both were absent due to other engagements.

Chairman of PAC Syed Khursheed Ahmad Shah directed the secretary of the committee to issue notices to them and to put off further proceedings till October 8.

Published in Dawn October 1st, 2015