Reimagining the Issues of Governance & Administration in Public Sector Universities: An Analysis of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa

Abstract

Public universities in the province of KP in Pakistan are facing growing pressure to expand access, improve quality and be accountable under harsh economic conditions and legal complexity. There is a lack of studies on KP specific governance-administration dynamics that is impacting our understanding of the impact of legal systems on the performance of these institutions. Hence, the objective of this study is to review the governance and administration practices at KP public universities focusing on the issues of decision-making, accountability and major constraints affecting performance. Using mixed methods convergent research design this study collects quantitative data from a survey of 204 university stakeholders and qualitative data from semi-structured interviews with 28 stakeholders along with analyzing legal instruments and institutional documents to allow data triangulation and thematic analysis. Findings suggest that though general legal framework for the institutions have been implemented their practical efficacy has been varied, administrative inefficiencies in procurement, human resource management and execution of decisions are acting as major constraints, leadership instability and unclear distribution of authority, are further degrading performance, and the accountability mechanisms have not been uniformly implemented. This study concludes that the governance constraints faced by universities in KP lie more in non-implementation and inadequate administrative efficiency than flaws within their legal framework. Improving digital systems, fostering leadership continuity, and granting operational autonomy with appropriate accountability are key to enhancing these institutions’ performance.