Higher Education Commission (HEC) has for the first time developed the curriculum for 'Telecommunication Engineering' to be taught at graduate and postgraduate levels in public and private sector universities in the country.
3-day preliminary meeting of HEC's National Curriculum Review Committee (NCRC), which concluded here at HEC Headquarter on Monday, deliberated over ways and means to implement the said curriculum.
The committee suggested that the curriculum should be made flexible to be adopted by Pakistani universities easily. It was also pointed out that due consideration is required to develop communication, presentation and management skills.
The NCRC suggested that the title of the degree in should be BSc/BS/BE/Telecommunication Engineering and the minimum number of teaching weeks per academic year to be at least 32.
The Practical/Lab work should comprise sufficient credit hours in all the subjects of practical nature.
All the Universities/ Institutions should make arrangements for practical training of their students in industrial organisations during summer vacations especially in the Third /Final year.
The students should be evaluated during the session through tests, quizzes, assignments and case studies followed by a comprehensive examination at the end of the year/end of term/semester.
The evaluation should be distributed uniformly over the complete semester. Efforts should be made to provide appropriate and latest equipment for the laboratories and the latest/state of the art equipment to be added replacing old equipment.
The committee suggested that the HEC might provide funds/facilities for the establishment of Departmental Libraries, which will store books, related to that particular subject.
Special emphasis should be given to the provision of research journals. For this purpose the department should be provided with facilities of E-mail, Internet connection to major library services in Pakistan and abroad so that they can have access to literature available in digital form.
Industrial training of Engineering students is highly desirable and as such efforts should be made to provide training to all students.
In order to create adequate training opportunities, the HEC may take up the matter with the government to enforce legislation making it mandatory for industries to provide training to engineering students in proportion to their capital investment and/or number of engineers employed.
For legislation purpose guidance may be obtained from the Apprenticeship Act 1984, and the practice in the neighbouring countries.
HIGHER EDUCATION COMMISSION H-9, ISLAMABAD, PAKISTAN.
Tel: 4448365
Fax: 9290128
Website: www.hec.gov.pk