Estb. 1882

University of the Punjab

News Archives

Press Release

Decolonizing higher education to create new knowledge
Decolonizing higher education to create new knowledge


LAHORE: (Tuesday, November 12, 2019): Renowned social scientist from University of Leeds, UK Prof Dr Salman Sayyid has said that there must be decolonization of higher education in Pakistani universities in order to become producer of new knowledge than becoming consumer of higher education. He was addressing a seminar organized by Institute of Social and Cultural Studies on ‘Decolonizing Higher Education in the Global South’ and ‘challenges facing higher education’ at Al Raazi Hall. PU Dean Faculty of Islamic Studies Prof Dr Hammad Lakhvi, ISCS Director Prof Dr Rubina Zaka, Prof Dr Omer Abdullah and Dr Yasmin Hussain from University of Leeds and faculty members were present on the occasion. Addressing the seminar, Dr Salman said that there was major transformation in higher education sector throughout the world. He said efforts were being made to make higher education economically viable. He said that the universities in global north played important role to contribute in local and regional economy. However, he said, the universities here could not produce desired results due to colonization of higher education. He said that decolonization of higher education would result in recognition of importance of location. He said that simply replication made local universities inferior and irrelevant. Prof Dr Omer Abdullah said that most new UK students had a debt of almost 60,000 pounds when they graduated. He said that British higher education system was now counted one of the most expensive higher education systems in the world. He said that higher education sector was lacking appropriate research funding.