Pakistan’s H.E sector in turmoil, 60% universities lack permanent vice-chancellors

KARACHI: A recent government report has exposed a significant leadership void in Pakistan’s higher education (HE) sector, with 60 universities operating without permanent vice-chancellors or rectors.

This alarming revelation raises concerns about governance and education quality, as only 97 out of 157 universities have appointed permanent heads.

The report highlights that 57 universities are functioning with temporary or acting vice-chancellors or rectors, while three universities are operating without any leadership whatsoever.

Regionally, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has three universities without appointed leaders, and the federal capital has six universities led by acting vice-chancellors. However, Punjab faces the most severe crisis, with 22 universities lacking permanent leadership.

Other affected regions include Khyber Pakhtunkhwa with 19 universities, Balochistan with five, Sindh with four, and Azad Jammu and Kashmir with one university without permanent vice-chancellors.

Experts warn that this leadership crisis can hinder decision-making, disrupt academic standards, and ultimately impact students’ educational experience.

Effective leadership is crucial in higher education, especially in Pakistan, where institutions face challenges such as balancing quality and inclusion, pedagogic issues, and social impact. Distributed leadership, which engages individuals at all levels, can help address these challenges and ensure that research has a meaningful social impact.