A Pakistani student appeals from UK

I, with other scholars from Liaquat University of Medical and Health Sciences (LUMHS), Jamshoro, was sent to the UK on merit scholarship awarded by the LUMHS/HEC for a four-year PhD degree course about two and a half years back. The relevant authorities in Pakistan have informed us recently that it is mandatory for us to finish our studies in three years at any cost.

I, a medical doctor and a member of the Faculty of Community Medicine and Public Health Sciences at LUMHS, with teaching experience of about 12 years, married, having four young children, proceeded to do my PhD degree course in epidemiology and public health, at the University of Nottingham, UK, in September 2006, after fulfilling all the requirements, i.e. clearing IELTS, GRE and a core course/test conducted by a fac ulty of international repute, organised by LUMHS (under the Faculty Enhancement Programme of the HEC/Liaquat University of Medical and Health Sciences, Jamshoro, Sindh, Pakistan).

For the PhD, I was granted ex-Pakistan leave of four years by the authorities. Accordingly, I was allowed a scholarship which included university tuition fees (for three years and paid in advance) and living expenses of 750 pounds per month for four years, permissible under the HEC policy.
After getting excellent progress reports during the first and the second year, I am in my third year of studies and progressing well in accordance with the study/research plan, and the fourth year is to be followed by write-up of the thesis, reviews by the supervisor, its submission and evaluation by the ex aminers, defending the thesis/viva voce, which will lead to the successful completion of the degree course and, finally, my return to my Alma Mater and the country with a PhD degree.

Under the circumstances narrated above, we have now been officially told by our university that:
(1) our studies were sponsored for the period of 36 months,
(2) it is mandatory that we finish our research and writing work within the stipulated time and (3) LUMHS, Jamshoro, will not bear the expenses (tuition fee or living expenses) if our studies extend beyond the said period.

Due to this decision, I feel devastated in a foreign land for no fault of my own. It’s not only unfair but will also waste all the sweat and blood I have put into my studies at the cost of my children’s future and also cause a colossal loss of the money inves ted by the government and the university, if I am not supported financially (by allowing living expenses for the fourth year) to complete my studies/research and return without achieving the objective.

It may be mentioned here that my PhD degree programme is based on human study, which is progressing with the support of the GPs’ all over the UK, and the needed data collection and analysis of the selected samples can hardly be accomplished in the three-year period of research in accordance with the prescribed and designed schedule under the supervision of the supervisor. Write-up of the thesis, its evaluation and defending the thesis is to follow in the fourth year. Accordingly, I have been allowed four years exPakistan study leave to pursue my PhD degree course as an inservice candidate at the University of Nottingham.

Making it mandatory for me to finish with the PhD degree course within three years appears to be quite illogical. The tuition fee along with the living expenses for the third year have already been paid by the LUMHS/HEC, whereas, for the fourth year till the academic requirements of the degree programme are fully completed, the LUMHS/HEC will be required to pay only the living expenses, which is their sole responsibility.

I hail from a middle class, educated family of Sindh, and am unable to afford the expenses in the UK for even a month, let alone one full year. I appeal to President Asif Ali Zardari to intervene in this matter and help me and many others who are pursuing their PhDs’ abroad.
DR ANEELA ATTA UR RAHMAN England