TEACHING OF ASTRONOMY AND SPACE SCIENCE:  ASTRONOMY AND SPACE SCIENCE CURRICULA AT UNIVERSITY LEVEL IN PAKISTAN

INGILA RAHIM; MUHAMMAD RASHID KAMAL ANSARI

INGILA RAHIM
MUHAMMAD RASHID KAMAL ANSARI

Keywords: Education in Pakistan; Space Science Education; Space Research; Space technology curricula

Abstract

It is the Continuation of our review of contents of astronomy and space Sciences curricula in Pakistan (I. Rahim, R.K. Ansari, A.K.Zai, 2011) which dealt with only pre-university level curricula in Pakistan whereas, the present study reviews the university level curricula in Pakistan.

There are two types of higher education institutions in Pakistan. The state governed (Public sector) universities and institutes and the private sector universities and degree issuing institutions. Also, there are institutions under military control and R & D organizations. We will review the curricula of some such institutions and compare with curricula of United Nations programs on space applications.

It is concluded that the standard and span of AS and SS courses at university level curricula in Pakistan have highly been raised. However, no institution is granting degree in the specific area of commercial and industrial uses of space.

This means that as a nation we have just stepped on but not yet have started the journey to participate in the activities of industrialization and Commercialization of space and more efforts have to be put in this regard.