Higher Education Commission (HEC) Announces Phase-II For Interim Placement Of Fresh PhD's

The Higher Education Commission (HEC) has announced Phase-II of the Interim Placement of Fresh PhDs (IPFP) Program, initiated to provide all Pakistani fresh PhD graduates an opportunity to be placed as Assistant Professors on a tenure track system for a period of one year

ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 20th Nov, 2019 ) :The Higher education Commission (HEC) has announced Phase-II of the Interim Placement of Fresh PhDs (IPFP) Program, initiated to provide all Pakistani fresh PhD graduates an opportunity to be placed as Assistant Professors on a tenure track system for a period of one year.

Under the programme, the HEC has invited applications for the fiscal year 2019-20 as 'IPFP Fellows' in all areas of study/disciplines.

Sources from HEC told APP that due to increase in the number of PhD holders, there was growing demand for such interim opportunities.

HEC has given the final deadline for the submission of application as November 28, 2019.

The candidates should fill required information online, upload mandatory documents and apply at HEC E portal http://eportal.hec.gov.pk/ipfp.

HEC, they said, has revised the placement policy and launched Phase-II of the program with revised Standard Operating Procedures (SoPs) for result based implementation of the programme. Previously submitted applications will not be considered further, therefore; candidates were required to apply afresh.

To meet the expanded demand at current rates of remuneration would be unviable, especially under the current financial constraints, they added.

They said that financial crisis has also forced universities to cut down on recruitment of new faculty, which adds to the pressure.

The sources further told that the placement under IPFP was on halt temporarily due to formulation of new policy. Now, all fresh PhDs will apply through E-portal for their placement, they added. "Of the remaining one-quarter of the participants, about half dropped out before the conclusion of the program (presumably to pursue other career choices), while the other half have faced delays in finding suitable permanent positions" an Official of HEC said.

The challenge requires fresh thinking, including on the contours of the IPFP program. Accordingly, HEC has reviewed the IPFP policy, and proposed significant changes, both to be able to expand the size of the program within the existing budget, and to ensure that it helps support longer-term career plans of the participants, he added.

It is worth mentioning here that under HEC rules, the host institutions were required to advertise corresponding faculty positions and afford an opportunity to IPFP scholars to compete for positions.

Since 2009, HEC has placed around 4,300 fresh PhDs in the IPFP Programme in universities.

A recent review of the program has shown that the program was successful in placing about three-quarters (74.64 per cent) of the participants in long-term faculty positions (in the same or other universities).