LAHORE: The Special Committee on Higher Education has recommended that the Jhang sub-campus of Lahore College for Women University (LCWU) be transferred in favour of the University of Jhang (UoJ) as a constituent college named as College of Arts and Sciences.

The committee also directed that the existing students at LCWU Jhang campus be awarded degree of the LCWU.

The Punjab government had constituted a Special Committee of the Provincial Cabinet on Higher Education for reconstitution of the LCWU Jhang sub-campus as a constituent college of the UoJ under the chairmanship of Higher Education Minister Raja Yasir Humayun, while the other members included Higher Education Secretary Zulfiqar Ahmed Ghuman, Law and Parliamentary Affairs Director Naeem Khan and Specialised Health and Medical Education Additional Secretary Dr Salman Shahid.

According to the higher education department meeting minutes available with Dawn, UoJ Vice Chancellor Dr Shahid Munir requested conversion of the LCWU sub-campus into a constituent college of UoJ. He also proposed to rename the entity College of Arts and Sciences or Faculty of Science or Faculty of Arts is his proposal was accepted.

Meanwhile, the committee was also briefed that the LCWU Syndicate discussed the matter in its 72nd meeting and suggested that the sub-campus be merged into the UoJ. It also requested that the services of the existing staff and faculty should be protected at the sub-campus.

Chief Minister Usman Buzdar directed the higher education department to place the matter before the cabinet through Special Committee on Higher Education for its consideration.

Higher Education Minister Raja Yasir Humayun briefed the committee that sub-campuses of public sector universities should be discouraged as it leads to horizontal growth of a university and compromises quality and ranking. He further said that establishment of public sector universities on regional level will make access to higher education easy and handing over of existing sub-campuses to universities will ensure access without compromising on quality.

A member also raised a question that which university’s degree would be awarded to the students currently studying at the sub-campus of LCWU.

It was briefed that the existing students will be awarded degree of LCWU whereas after handing over of the sub-campus to the UoJ, newly admitted students will get a UoJ degree.

The incumbent government had announced setting up of public sector universities at district level and conversion of all sub-campuses into constituent colleges of regional universities.

Published in Dawn, June 20th, 2020