Minister seeks details from VCs, faculty of all varsities about research trips abroad

In a recent policy shift, the minister for the Universities and Boards Department of Sindh has decided to limit research and educational trips abroad for university officials, a move that has prompted all vice chancellors and faculty members in all provincial universities to report their international trips from the past three years.

A letter issued by the minister's private secretary has requested details from vice chancellors, faculty members, and officers on official, non-official, essential, and personal foreign visits. The letter includes a chart with eight columns to document trip information comprehensively.

According to sources, many academic staff members have travelled abroad to attend seminars and workshops, often self-funding these research and educational tours. However, the department overseeing boards and universities has expressed reservations regarding the frequency of such trips. Obtaining a No-Objection Certificate for these travels is a lengthy process involving multiple levels of approval—from the secretary of boards and universities to the provincial minister, chief secretary, and ultimately the chief minister.

The NOC then returns to the university department for the final notification, a process that often takes weeks and requires endorsements. Previously, when universities operated under the Sindh governor’s supervision, NOC approvals were centralized at the Governor's House, streamlining the process significantly for university officials.