Gloomy days ahead for Bahria University after 16 degree programs suspended.

ISLAMABAD: Students setting their eyes on Bahria University Islamabad better reconsider their wishes as the Higher Education Commission (HEC) has recommended closure of its 16-degree programs.

The varsity was offering these courses without fulfilling set criteria.

Daily Times has learnt that a committee constituted by the HEC Quality Assurance Agency (QAA) reviewed a total of 25 MPhil and MS programs, under the chairmanship of Institute of Business Management (IBM) Karachi's Dr Irfan Hyder.

Finding academic among other required deficiencies in over a dozen programmes, the committed cleared only 13 for meeting minimum criteria.

The commission directed for a complete suspension of four graduate academic programs; banning all academic activities in these disciplines. These programs include MS Environmental Policy & Management, MS Environmental Sciences, MS Project Management and MS Supply Chain Management.

In two disciplines, Environmental Policy & Management and Environmental Sciences, the committee pointed out a dearth of the faculty members. Its guidelines required two PhD faculty members in the relevant subject area to run the program.

Besides this, the members added, the faculty needed to be bifurcated in two programs according to their respective areas of expertise.

Similarly, the Project Management discipline also required two PhD qualified faculty members in relevant subject areas. The QAA Committee reported the same deficiency in the Supply Chain Management discipline.

The HEC forbade Bahria Varsity from offering further admissions in 12 academic disciplines. These programs include MS Computer Science, MS Data Science, MS Electrical Engineering, MS Engineering Management, MS Finance, MS Geology, MS Information Security, LLM, MS Management Sciences, MPhil Management Sciences and MS Software Engineering. Enrolment in the aforementioned degree courses was said to have exceeded the HEC set criteria.

The committee also added that the University should not admit any scholar in the program until approved by the HEC Patron.

It clarified that the course plan for the enrolled students would continue to run provided other identified deficiencies are rectified.

The HEC inspection team also recommended that MPhil/MS-level degree programs should have a greater focus on research. It read, "Option to complete the degree by research or coursework may be given. However, courses of research methodology should be taught to all students enrolled in these...