Non-engineers Cannot be Appointed as Head of Engineering Departments

No non-engineer will be appointed to head engineering departments by the Pakistan Engineering Council.

The Pakistan Engineering Council has taken a major decision and banned non-engineer heads from overseeing engineering departments. It is also reported that the appointment of non-engineering professors in the discipline of engineering has been banned, but non-engineering departments and disciplines will not be affected.

The VC of Lahore University of Engineering and Technology appointed a non-engineering professor as head of the Environmental Engineering Department.

PEC wrote to VC Prof Dr Mansoor Sarwar in response to complaints that non-engineers were appointed department heads in violation of the PEC Act 1976.

A non-engineer cannot be the dean of the faculty of engineering, according to the Pakistan Engineering Council. If a non-engineer is appointed as a discipline head, accreditation will be revoked under the Act. Non-engineers cannot be appointed vice-chancellors or principals in engineering institutions according to the post.

The Department of Environmental Engineering at UET is at risk of its accreditation being revoked following this report. If accreditation is revoked, hundreds of students may lose their engineering degrees.