LAHORE, Nov 15 (APP):A panel discussion on ‘Student Centric Approach to Higher Education’ was held here at the Government College University (GCU) Lahore on Monday.
Speakers stressed that students need to participate in the university affairs through a vibrant system of clubs and societies and ensure their participation in the governing bodies i.e. academic councils, finance and planning committees, syndicate and the senate.
The panel discussion was part of the week-long first-ever All Pakistan Summit for the Students’ Societies, being hosted by the GCU, in collaboration with UNESCO Creative Cities Network: Lahore-City of Literature through Commissioner Lahore, Superior University and NGOs Bargad Organisation for Youth Development and Shaoor Foundation for Education and Awareness.
Students from 30 universities across Pakistan are participating in the summit.
Prof Dr Mohammad Nizamuddin, the former chairperson of Punjab Higher Education Commission, chaired the panel discussion, moderated by Vice Chancellor Prof Dr Asghar Zaidi. Pakistan Science Foundation ex-chairman Prof Dr Muhammad Ashraf and University of Baltistan Skardu Vice Chancellor Dr Muhammad Naeem Khan were also among the panelists.
Students representatives Naima Kazmi, the president of Kashmir and Palestine Societies, and Maimoona Imtiaz, the president of Anti-Narcotics Society, also participated in the panel discussion.
In her address, Bargad Executive Director Sabiha Shaheen said that the student societies and clubs system could not succeed until it was separated from the university administration. “In most of the educational institutions, student societies were formed but practically they were run by the staff and teachers, not students,” she said.
Sabiha also stressed effective female participation and financial autonomy of student societies, saying that they should have their own budgets, offices and student executive bodies, who manage and run these societies.
Prof Dr Naeem Khan said that universities and colleges should be governed by students and decisions regarding them should be taken in consultation with them. He said that students should have due representation in all governing bodies of universities and colleges.
Vice Chancellor Prof Asghar Zaidi said when students step into professional lives, they face many challenges, and universities need to help them prepare for these challenges. The GCU was a role model where the system of students participation in the university affairs exists for more than a century, he said adding that the University spends about Rs 17 million annually on its student societies, and they play pivotal role in inculcating leadership qualities in students.
Prof Muhammad Nizamuddin said that the scope of student societies needs to be widened. “The universities societies should not be limited to music, drama and debates only. Harvard University’s curriculum changes every four years, but the tradition of student leadership grows stronger each year,” he added.
Columnist Salman Abid believed that societies were the best available alternative to student unions, but according to a survey, they were dormant in all educational institutions except for a few. He demanded that the participation of students in societies and clubs should be made part of their credit hours.
Later, two more panel discussions on topics of ‘Students Leadership, Campus Representation and the Question of Students’ Unions/Societies’ and ‘Psycho-social toxicity, drug addiction and the strategies to eradicate the menace’ were also held on the second day of the summit.
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