LAHORE - The Higher Education Department (HED) has developed a roadmap to improve higher education in the province. All stakeholders including academia, industry, and the government have started concerted efforts to materialise the objectives. The HED objectives include improving access to quality education for youth, raising academic and managerial capacities to international level, producing professionally competitive and socially responsible graduates, ensuring efficient, transparent and data-based service delivery, promoting a culture of innovation and research and allowing the much needed structural reforms in the higher education department.  The minister for higher education Raja Yassir Humayun Sarfraz conveyed the government agenda for securing the future of youth that include developing an higher education policy, setting up of higher education management, research and learning institutes, modernization and rationalization of legal framework for the sector, college sector reforms, strengthening and establishment of universities, curriculum reform, sports leagues in the higher educational institutes.

Moreover, revamping of the student assistance system was on the agenda. On the direction of the HED minister, a complete homework was made and data collected.

The HED will delegate powers to the lower level to ease the resolution of problems. Vacancies will be filled on merit, training of teachers will be made on a priority basis.

Moreover, community colleges will be set up to reduce the gap between the current degrees and market requirements and the market-based course will be offered in them.