Introduction
The Best University Teacher Award (BUTA) is a prestigious recognition established by the Higher Education Commission (HEC) to commend outstanding educators and motivate all faculty members to enhance their teaching abilities. It is open to faculty members under BPS, TTS, and contract positions from both public and private universities/DAI's. As of 2018, HEC has conferred a total of 567 Best University Teacher Awards.
In 2019, the framework of the Best University Teacher Award underwent a revision. Additional award criteria, focusing on indicators of effective teaching, were introduced to emphasize the importance of teaching excellence. Since this revision, HEC has granted nine (9) awards until 2022.
Objectives:
Incentive: Encourage faculty members to enhance the quality of their teaching and pedagogy.
Pedagogical: Establish a national consensus on the standards of good teaching.
Capacity Building: Create a national database, accessible to all faculty members, particularly junior faculty, containing syllabuses, grading systems (including tests, exams, quizzes), lesson plans, and lecture slides (PPTs).
Award Procedure:
The HEC BUTA award is divided into two levels:
· University-Level Best University Teacher Award
· Universities will directly confer the university-level awards.
Each university's best teacher awards may include a certificate of merit and, if decided by the university Syndicate, a cash award of up to Rs. 200,000/-.
Only winners of university-level awards are eligible to compete in the HEC national-level award competition.
HEC National-Level Best University Teacher Award
HEC will confer one or more national awards to a limited number of recipients, ensuring exclusivity and prestige.
The HEC National Level Best University Teacher Award includes a cash prize of Rs. 1,000,000/- (Rupees ten Lac only) along with a certificate of merit and an award trophy.
The Department of Quality Assurance (DQA) at FUI is proud to announce the Best University Teacher Award (BUTA) for the academic year 2023 with the announcement of HEC National level BUTA award. This initiative, established by the Higher Education Commission (HEC) since 2003, has evolved over time with updated terms, conditions, framework, guidelines, and procedures. The latest version is available for download in the provided link.
According to HEC guidelines, the BUTA award process for a specific academic year (Fall – Spring) begins with the HEC announcement and requires timely completion of necessary documentation by the institution.
The BUTA Awards operate at two levels:
a. University Level
b. HEC National Level
The HEC National Level competition is contingent on the Call for Nominations by HEC and is only open to winners of the University Level BUTA awards. FUI will continue to hold the University Level BUTA annually. However, it is important to note that only the winner of the University Level BUTA for a year (where an HEC call is announced) will be considered as an FUI nominee for HEC National Level BUTA award.
Faculty Members are encouraged to submit their applications for BUTA University Level Award to the BUTA Focal Persons of their respective schools by November 15, 2023 as provided below:
a. Prof Dr Irfan Shukr – HoD Medical Education (FUSH)
b. Assoc Prof Dr Aaqif Afzaal – Department of Software Engineering (FUSST)
Respective BUTA Focal Persons are requested to convene the school vide BUTA Selection Committee in respect of BUTA applicants and share with DQA the decision of selection committee by November 30, 2023. The same shall be presented before the University Level Selection committee to announce the University level BUTA awardee and subsequent submission to HEC for consideration in the National Level BUTA Award.