The 5th Board of Studies meeting of the Department of International Relations, MYU, was held on Wednesday, June 4, 2025. The meeting was convened under Dr. Waseem Khokhar, Head of Department, and was attended by Dr. Muhammad Munir, Dean Faculty of Social Sciences; external members Dr. Tauqeer Hussain, Dr. Zahid Mehmood Zahid; and faculty members. Dr. Asia Karim, Coordinator Postgraduate Program, and Ms. Amna Kalhoro, Coordinator Undergraduate Program, discussed issues related to their programs for revision and discussion.
At the outset, the members reviewed and approved the minutes of the 4th meeting of the Board of Studies. The meeting discussed at length the revised Scheme of Studies 2025 to align with the Higher Education Commission's (HEC) Pakistan proposed guidelines for the following academic programs: Bachelor of Science (BS) in IR, Associate Degree Program (ADP) in IR, Bridge Program in IR, Master of Philosophy (M.Phil.) in IR, and Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in IR.
This comprehensive discussion involved analyzing the curriculum structure, course content, learning outcomes, and assessment methods of each program to ensure academic relevance, particularly by incorporating 21st-century skills into the curriculum to equip the youth for the rapidly changing global politics. It was emphasized that course contents must be prepared and designed keeping in view market/industry requirements. The members particularly stressed the inclusion of a course on emerging technologies for the BS program and emphasized a strong focus on the research methodology course for M.Phil. and Ph.D. programs. They agreed that the department should take more steps to further promote research-based activities.
The members also discussed and finalized the proposed revisions to the vision and mission statement of the IR department. Furthermore, the session focused on evaluating the updated strategic directions and core purpose of the department to ensure they align with current academic standards, future goals, and market-oriented objectives.
The external members appreciated the departmental academic activities for promoting research and quality education at both the undergraduate and postgraduate levels. At the end, the Head of Department IR, Dr. Waseem Khokhar, thanked the esteemed members of the BOS meeting for taking time out of their busy schedules and proposing insightful suggestions.
