LUMHS Vice Chancellor Prof. Dr. Ikram Din Ujjan Attends Meeting of Vice Chancellors of 32 Public Universities Chaired by Sindh Chief Secretary
By Qurban Ali Khushik
Karachi: An important meeting of vice chancellors of public sector universities in Sindh was held under the chairmanship of Sindh Chief Secretary Syed Asif Haider Shah, with vice chancellors from 32 public universities across the province in attendance. Prof. Dr. Ikram Din Ujjan, Vice Chancellor of Liaquat University of Medical and Health Sciences (LUMHS), also participated in the meeting. The Chairman of the Sindh Higher Education Commission and the Secretary of Universities and Boards were also present.
The meeting reviewed in detail the financial, administrative, and academic challenges faced by public sector universities. Vice chancellors highlighted the needs of their respective institutions, financial constraints, and other pressing issues, briefing the Chief Secretary on the difficulties affecting university operations.
Speaking on the occasion, Sindh Chief Secretary Syed Asif Haider Shah said that the Sindh government was fully aware of the challenges confronting public universities. He stated that a total grant of Rs44.460 billion was being provided to public universities across the province.
The Chairman of the Sindh Higher Education Commission said that the primary objective of the meeting was to listen directly to vice chancellors regarding the challenges faced by their institutions and to assess the measures required to address these issues. He further noted that Sindh provides comparatively higher grant-in-aid to universities than other provinces.
During the discussion, vice chancellors identified pension liabilities and electricity bills as two of the major financial burdens on public universities. They also highlighted the growing difficulty of retaining experienced and highly qualified faculty members, as private universities offer more attractive salary packages.
The vice chancellors further observed that some faculty members who travel abroad for higher education or professional opportunities are reluctant to return, contributing to a shortage of experienced academic staff in public sector institutions.
The meeting concluded with discussions on strengthening the financial sustainability of public universities, improving administrative efficiency, and enhancing the overall quality of higher education in Sindh.
Prof. Dr. Ikram Din Ujjan’s participation underscored LUMHS’s engagement in provincial-level consultations aimed at addressing institutional challenges and supporting the continued development of higher education in Sindh.
