Faculty Development Programme for Pakistani Universities (Batch-IV) – A Golden Opportunity for Faculty Members

The Higher Education Commission (HEC) is pleased to announce the Faculty Development Programme for Pakistani Universities (Batch-IV) for the academic year 2024-25. This prestigious scholarship program is designed for the faculty members of public sector universities in Pakistan and Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK). The initiative offers an invaluable opportunity for faculty members to pursue a PhD degree at HEC-recognized Pakistani Universities/Degree Awarding Institutes (DAIs), with the additional benefit of 12 months of research at a foreign university.

Eligibility Criteria

To qualify for the Faculty Development Programme, applicants must meet the following criteria:

• Nationality: Must be a Pakistani/AJK national.
• Academic Qualifications: Applicants must have completed an MS/MPhil or equivalent to 18 years of education.
• Age: Maximum age at the closing date of application is 45 years.
• Job Status: Applicants must hold a full-time regular university teaching position in a public sector university/DAI, which they will rejoin upon completion of their studies as per the terms and conditions of the scholarship.
• Experience: Must have at least two years of consecutive teaching experience at the parent/serving university/DAI.
• Academic Performance: Applicants should have secured at least 60% marks in the annual examination system or a minimum CGPA of 3.0 out of 4.0 in the semester system in their final degree. Importantly, applicants should not have any third division/D grade in their academic career.
• Test Requirement: Applicants must have a valid HAT/GRE General Test result with at least 60% passing score, conducted between May 2023 and May 2025.
• Ineligibility: Faculty members already enrolled in a PhD program (before Spring 2024) or those availing any other scholarship (HEC/Government/University or any other) are not eligible. Visiting/adjunct faculty members are also ineligible.

Application Procedure

The application process for this scholarship is entirely online. Applicants are required to submit their application via the HEC scholarship portal (https://scholarship.hec.gov.pk/). It is important to note that hard copies of the application and other documents are not required at this stage.

Here is a step-by-step guide to the application procedure:

1. Online Application: Visit the HEC portal and fill out the online application form. Ensure that the form is complete before submission.

2. Processing Fee: Applicants must deposit an application processing fee of Rs. 1000 through the 1Link 1Bill invoice system. Payment can be made via participating Banks/ATM/Internet Banking/Mobile Banking.

3. Fee Verification: After making the payment, applicants must verify the payment on the portal by clicking "Verify Online Payment."

4. Submit Application: Complete the application form and ensure that it is submitted before the deadline. Incomplete or saved applications will not be considered.

5. Acknowledgment: Applicants will receive an acknowledgment once the application has been successfully submitted.

Important Notes

• Before submitting the application, it is highly recommended to read the FAQs on the HEC website: www.hec.gov.pk/site/fdp.

• The scholarship will be awarded based on the following criteria:

  • Academic Merit (evaluated by an Academic Evaluation Formula)
  • HEC Aptitude Test
  • Interview by Subject Experts

• The NSMC decision will be final in selecting the scholarship awardees.

• The selected awardee will need to secure a PhD admission in a non-parent HEC-recognized university/DAI, which has collaboration/MoU with reputed foreign universities.

• Discipline Selection: The discipline selection will depend on the needs of higher education institutions. Intra-disciplinary admissions may be granted according to the guidelines in the HEC's Graduate Education Policy 2023.

• Selection Criteria: The merit list will be based on the online application information, and any errors or omissions may result in the cancellation of the offer.

• HEC Rights: HEC reserves the right to select or reject applicants based on the approved selection criteria.

Application Deadline:

All applications must be submitted before March 10, 2025.

For more details, please visit the HEC official website www.hec.gov.pk.