KUST held 35th meeting of Academic Council

F.P. Report

KOHAT: The 35th meeting of the Academic Council was held at the Senate Hall of Kohat University of Science and Technology (KUST).

The meeting was chaired by the Vice Chancellor Prof. Dr. Sardar Khan and members of the council attended the meeting.

The Vice Chancellor said that the curriculum of the affiliated colleges and university must be improved and updated keeping in view the challenges and socioeconomic situation of Pakistan. KUST should design curricula to prepare students to face present day challenges in order to have a bright future.

The council adopted the HEC policy on PhD degree programme with minor amendments and this policy will be applicable from the semester Fall 2021. The Council also adopted HEC minimum and maximum duration of MS MPhil degree programme policy during the Covid-19.

It was also decided to implement external exams, papers setting and evaluation from Fall 2021. The Council adopted the HEC revised policy on protection against sexual harassment in HEIs.

The council also agreed to split some of the merged teaching departments’ phase wise keeping in view their infrastructure and financial requirements. The scheme of Study of Associate Degree (AD) programmes recommended by the Directorate Of Academics was approved by the council.

Further, the council directed Heads of the departments and Institutes to design AD in specialized programme of their departments and Institutes. The Council reserved two seats in each graduate degree programme for the foreign students that will be admitted in these programmes as per HEC policy.

The council also endorsed the recommendations and decisions of Online Academic Council made during the Covid-19 lockdown period to deliver video lectures through online mode. Also, launching of course based MS /MPhil programme for non lab disciplines was agreed upon by the council and specialized courses will be designed through relevant BOS in future.

The council agreed to launch new undergraduate degree programmes of BS disaster management, LLB and DPT.  Vice Chancellor has been authorized by the council to constitute the committees to review the curriculum, prepare vision and mission for these programmes and submit a feasibility report covering all the parameters to launch new programmes.

The council made recommendation in the semester guidelines regarding interruption of Studies and supervision of graduate degree programme scholars. The council agreed to establish Directorate Of Advance Studies and also approved to establish Quality Enhancement Cell for Affiliated Colleges in light of the HEC devised policy.

The Vice Chancellor said that in order to compete with the rest of the world with global changes and challenges, KUST should also adopt all the relevant changes that shall enhance the academics quality and prepare students as per market requirement.

He further said that academic councils of universities could play an effective role in assisting Higher education commission by offering education at universities that have linkages with industries and trade bodies and academic industry linkages is at top priority at KUST.

Also, if higher education institutes equip youth with the right skills and provide them a platform to polish their abilities only then the country's youth would become useful citizens.