9th Academic Council Meeting at University of Sialkot
The 9th Meeting of the Academic Council of University of Sialkot was held on April 9, 2026, at the Abdul Ghani Auditorium under the chairmanship of the Vice Chancellor Prof. (Meritorious) Dr. Muhammad Khaleeq Ur Rahman.
The meeting was attended by distinguished members, including Mrs. Zahida Azhar, Additional Secretary (Universities), Higher Education Department, Government of the Punjab; Prof. Dr. Zareen Fatima Rizvi, Vice Chancellor, International Institute of Science, Arts and Technology (IISAT); Prof. Dr. Najma, Pro Vice Chancellor/Professor of Psychology, Institute of Art and Culture, Lahore; Prof. Dr. Muhammad Akhyar Farrukh, Director ORIC & Research and Head of the Department of Basic and Applied Chemistry, University of Central Punjab and Prof. Dr. Majid Hussain, Dean, Faculty of Information Technology, University of Faisalabad. All Deans, Directors, Professors, Heads of Departments, and nominees of the Board of the University of Sialkot also attended the meeting.
The proceedings commenced with a welcome note by the Registrar, Mr. Arif Aziz, who warmly welcomed the members of the Academic Council and invited the Vice Chancellor/Chairman to formally initiate the session.
In his opening remarks, the Vice Chancellor extended a cordial welcome to all participants and reiterated the University’s firm commitment to ensuring strict compliance with the guidelines and directives of the Higher Education Commission of Pakistan and other relevant regulatory bodies. He also apprised the members of key institutional reforms and initiatives undertaken to enhance the quality of education at the University. These included strengthening academic standards, ensuring a minimum student attendance threshold of 85 percent, activation of the University’s Society Board, and organizing a series of academic and co-curricular activities such as seminars, conferences, sports events, and other extracurricular engagements.
The Vice Chancellor further highlighted ongoing efforts toward student character building, promotion of tolerance, and the arrangement of counseling sessions aimed at holistic student development.
During the meeting, the Academic Council deliberated upon and approved a range of new undergraduate and postgraduate programs. These programs have been developed in alignment with evolving market demands and in accordance with the guidelines prescribed by the Higher Education Commission of Pakistan.
The Chair also briefed the Council on the adoption and implementation of the “Holly Quinn 1 & 2” framework across all academic programs in line with HEC directions.
Furthermore, in pursuance of the directives issued by the Higher Education Commission of Pakistan vide its letter dated February 18, 2026, regarding the inclusion of a mandatory three (03) credit hour course in Artificial Intelligence (AI) in the schemes of studies of all ADP, BS, MS, and PhD programs with effect from Fall 2026, the Academic Council unanimously approved the proposal. The Council also authorized the Vice Chancellor to oversee and implement this directive at the respective program’s levels, as determined by the concerned Boards of Studies (BoS,s) and Boards of Faculties (BoF,s).
In his concluding remarks, the Chairman expressed his gratitude to all members for their valuable participation and contributions, and formally concluded the meeting with a vote of thanks.
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