The Higher Education Commission (HEC) of Pakistan was established in 2002 with an ambitious mandate: to expand access to higher education, enhance quality, promote research, build human capital and regulate academic standards across the country.

In the first decade following its creation, the HEC made remarkable strides, positioning Pakistan on the path toward academic reform and global relevance.

Thousands of students were sent abroad to pursue PhDs under HEC scholarships and returned to contribute to Pakistan’s academic and research institutions. University research output surged, the quality of teaching and infrastructure began to improve, and the momentum of reform gave rise to a sense of national academic pride.

As Pakistan now prepares to appoint a new chairperson for the HEC, it is imperative that we reflect not only on the successes of the past but also on the concerning stagnation of the last decade. The HEC chairperson plays a central and transformative role, akin to a ‘super vice chancellor’, tasked with overseeing more than 266 universities. The scale and complexity of the task demand nothing less than a leader of exceptional competence, integrity and vision.

During my tenure as chairperson beginning in 2009, my priority was to improve the quality of education and research. No Pakistani university was even listed among Asia’s top institutions at the time. Recognising this gap, we adopted an aggressive reform agenda. By 2013, ten of our universities were ranked among the top 250 institutions in Asia for the first time in Pakistan's history.

Our quality assurance framework was........

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