ISLAMABAD:The Higher Education Commission (HEC) has invited applications for the Interim Placement of Fresh PhDs (IPFP) programme in all areas of study/disciplines under the IPFP Phase-Il (Batch-IV).
According to official sources, HEC launches the IPFP programme to create an opportunity for fresh PhDs to obtain academic experience and mentorship, for one year in Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) and federal/provincial government postgraduate colleges prior to their formal entry into the academic job market.
The sources said that as per eligibility criteria, the Pakistani/AJK nationality holders can apply and their age at the date of advertisement should not be over 40 years.
The candidates must hold a Ph.D. degree from any of the HEC-recognized universities (Pakistani or foreign) completed within the two years preceding the advertisement, they added.
They should have published at least two research publications in HEC-recognized or indexed journals. Only unemployed applicants are eligible.
However, those holding irregular or contract positions (or other sub-optimal jobs) in universities or elsewhere may apply, and if selected, will have to resign and submit a clearance certificate from their previous
Eligible candidates will get an opportunity to attend up to four weeks of outstanding training (free of cost) under the National Faculty Development Program (NFDP) with a team of highly reputed international and national trainers. However, no stipend will be paid during the training, the sources added.
Under One-Year placement at host institutions, HEC will facilitate in providing opportunity of placement at HEIs for a period of one year as an IPFP Fellow by sharing the credentials of successful candidates with the public sector institutions.
However, HEC will pay a fixed remuneration during placement, currently fixed at PKR 100,000/- per month for a period of 12 months from the date of joining as IPFP Fellows.
Interested applicants are required to apply online through HEC eportal: http://eportal.hec.gov.pk/ipfp for IPFP Phase-II (Batch-IV) on or before January 16, 2023 till midnight.
The scanned copies of the HEC-attested PhD degree, and/or an equivalence certificate issued by the HEC Equivalence Section for foreign PhDs must be uploaded together with the application, they informed.
Deposit slip (cash counter receipt, online or ATM transfer receipt) of Rs. 3,000/(non-refundable) as application processing fee in favour of Director General Finance, HEC in the Account Number 1742-79001334-01 Habib Bank Limited shall also be required to upload at http://eportal.hec.gov.pk/ipfp.
Applicants are required to post the hard copy (printed application form) along with photograph and original fee deposit slip at the address specified on the website. Hard copy must be bounded and flagged properly otherwise will not be entertained.
Eligible applicants will be required to appear in the mandatory pre-assessment test to be held tentatively on Sunday, February 19, 2023.
The applicants who obtain a minimum score of 50% on the pre-assessment test will attend the mandatory training under NFDP followed by an evaluation test before placement at Higher Education Institutes (HEIs).
The selected candidates shall be required to provide hard copies of all required documents before the training.
Successful completion of NFDP is mandatory for placement at the Host HEIs as ‘IPFP Fellow’.
It is worth mentioning here that in case of any discrepancies found in the record, HEC reserves the right to reject the applicant at any stage.
The deadline to apply for IPFP programme is January 16, 2023.