In order to improve administrative and academic results, higher education officials have called for full autonomy for universities and an increase in the education budget.

On Monday, the Institute of Education and Research and Academia at Punjab University hosted a conference titled "Higher Education in Pakistan: Governance, Finance, and Quality," which they were speaking at.

FAPUASA President Dr. Amjad Abbas Magsi, Higher Education Commission (HEC) Chairperson Prof. Dr. Mukhtar Ahmed, HEC former executive director Dr. Sohail Naqvi, IER Director Prof. Dr. Abdul Qayyum Chaudhry, PU State and Security DG Dr. Rehan Sadiq Sheikh, Director of Sports Dr. Shabbir Sarwar, Ibrahim Qazi, faculty members, and numerous students were in attendance.

According to Dr. Mukhtar, universities must have both autonomy and self-accountability in order to truly flourish as a whole. He claimed that problems with governance and quality in Pakistan's higher education system were linked to financial concerns.

He claimed that many Pakistani universities were having trouble covering their electrical costs as well as salaries and pensions.

He remarked that in order to address these problems, educators should put their attention on their duties rather than on divisive politics. He said that only 0.22% of Pakistan's budget was allocated to higher education and that both the federal and provincial governments needed to contribute to this increase.

The chairperson of the HEC stated that in order to improve the academic affairs of affiliated institutions, universities must adhere rigorously to the norms and regulations.

Instead of pointing fingers at one another, he argued, they should cooperate to improve the abilities of Pakistan's gifted young people.

He argued that in order to adapt the curriculum to the demands of the contemporary world, businessmen have to be included on the academic council as well.

According to Dr. Naqvi, Pakistan produces about 40,000 publications annually, yet none of them have any social value.

He asserted that the HEC was not involved in the selection of vice chancellors for universities. According to him, colleges serve as a hub for the academic community, and if legislators and implementers collaborated, a better system might be created.

He lamented that Pakistan's education system only received 1.4% of the country's GDP and that the government needed to invest more in education to improve the nation's prospects.