INTRODUCTION

The University of Karachi is located in Karachi, Pakistan. It is the largest public

university in the country with a student population of 24,000 (regular in campus only).
According to the Higher Education Commission (HEC) of Pakistan, it is ranked among
the top universities of the country. The university has made itself known by producing
the largest amount of research output in terms of patent, international peer reviewed,
journals and organizing regular academic conferences. In 2008 the university entered the
THE-QS World University Rankings for the top 500 universities in the world.

ABOUT KARACHI UNIVERSITY

Established in 1951, the University of Karachi has made phenomenal progress during the
last 55 years. The student’s population has gone up from a mere 200 in 1951 to 20,760
students studying in 55 teaching departments and 17 research institutes. There are now
462 regular faculty members besides more than 100 cooperative and visiting teachers in
the university. The university is also an affiliating and examining body of 143 colleges
and institutes and annually conducts examination of more than 1,20,000 students
studying in government/ private colleges and external candidates. Today the university is
recognized as one of the premier centre of learning and research in the subcontinent and
in the third world. A number of scientists and scholars affiliated with the university are
working on prestigious position in and outside Pakistan.

OBJECTIVE

Our objective is to find out the external opportunities and threats faced by the University
of Karachi and to develop External Factor Evaluation (EFE) Matrix according to that
information.

VISION

“We want to provide politic-free environment and quality education to our students”

MISSION
Our mission is to provide quality education at very low cost. Quality education is our
main theme, but we always focus on building intellectual and interpersonal skills in our
student. We want to become one of the nation's premier student-centered land-grant and
space-grant universities by fostering the principle that academics come first, by
cultivating diversity of thought and culture, and by serving the public through learning,
discovery, and engagement.

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 THE EXTERNAL ENVIRONMET

The purpose of an external audit is to develop a finite list of opportunities that could
benefit the University of Karachi and threats that should be avoided.

OPPORTUNITIES

Global Expansion

To develop new markets, domestically and internationally for KU educational

programs in developing economies across the globe. International and off-campus study
and exchange programs. Campuses can be made world wide for further growth and
prosperity of Karachi University.

Foreign Links

Karachi University can have foreign links, more conversations and partnerships with
local employers those in the private, nonprofit, and public sectors (national or
international) so that students of the university are more appealing and in higher priority
to them in recruitment for jobs.

Improved Marketing

To overcome the lack of cohesive message about university to outside community

Karachi University can expand. Expand and improve the effectiveness of marketing of
KU emphasizing the university's unique identity, big campus and small city, professors
who teach, learning communities, and commitment to lifelong learning via distance
education, new certificate programs, etc.

Affiliation with other Institutions

The prospect of promoting increased collaboration across campus to take advantage of

new needs for interdisciplinary approaches to a variety of problems. Realizing the
challenges to be faced in the field of Education during 21st century the
University of Karachi has established Quality Enhancement Cell in
January 2006, to support the University for improving the level of
education. QEC is responsible to promote and enhance the quality of
education giving by the teachers and acquiring by the students. It is
also responsible for review of academic affiliations with other
institutions in terms of effective management. Increase and strengthen
internal collaborations and external collaborations e.g., efficiencies in offering degree
granting programs and distance education by stronger collaborations with other
educational institutions.

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Growth Opportunity

Growth opportunities in emerging sectors research and economic development (life

science, advanced manufacturing, information solutions). Focus on excellence with an
emphasis on areas in which KU should grow.

Online Opportunities Worldwide

Like many other universities, Karachi University should also avail the online opportunity
worldwide for its further recognition among best universities. Because education
must be delivered to students within limited time and mobility. And
this would be the best opportunity to satisfy and educate students
anywhere in the world.

Alternative Budgeting/Funding Models

Tapping donors -- alums, businesses, foundations -- use them to tell KU's story; improve
perception of the KU and clarify the relationship between the purposes of private giving
vs. tuition revenues. Fund raising for university through different means so as to manage
resources.

Adapt to changing Demand and Delivery & changing Expectation

The demand for credit and non-credit education at advanced levels has
become a career-long reality. But the education must be delivered to
students with limited time and mobility. The demands of the students
should be satisfied.

Increasing Population

The expanding population in Karachi University and its expanding role

in serving that population add considerably to the institution’s growth
potential and raise questions of revising its mission and identity. There is
potential to provide more attention to lifelong learning as the demographics of our state
and society change.

Admission Standard

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Raise admission standards. The imposition of rigorous admission standards can increase
numbers of applicants and improve the average scholastic ability of the student body; this
could result in improved retention as well.

Leading the Learning Revolution

Becoming a leader in interdisciplinary and integrated learning. Commitment to the

promotion improvement and advancement of learning.
Systematic and serious use of performance assessment, especially of
learning results, can lead to improved effectiveness and efficiency.
Assessment of this sort constitutes performance research, which is
appropriate to institutions of higher learning and an area in which they
can be models. The University of Karachi is putting into place a new
effort at comprehensive and systematic assessment of institutional
effectiveness in all areas of performance.
Multi-media technology is also changing the way on-campus instruction
is delivered and represents an enormous opportunity to develop new
and more effective ways of teaching and learning, as well as
generating new knowledge. Information technology offers the
opportunity for enabling the pursuit of learning from anywhere at any
time.

Student Financing

There is declining financial support for a student that is leading more students to work to
stay in universities which ultimately leads to poor results. Therefore to prevent this, the
University of Karachi is providing full and half fees concession to the
needy students through its Scholarship program.

Expanded Recruitment

The University of Karachi has the potential to attract needed full-time

students from surrounding metropolitan areas. Not only that, it is also
given preference by foreign students as it is much more economical.
Specific quota has been assigned to such students.

Expand the Array of Programs

The University of Karachi continues to seek new program authority in

certain fields. It is also revising and diversifying options within existing
programs to better respond to educational needs. Continuing education for
intellectual enrichment and for people of all ages.

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Students Concern

Students are more than customers; they are participants in,

contributors to, and products of a highly structured learning
environment and developmental process. Being more attentive to their
needs can bring improvements in learning, recruitment, retention,
career success, and alumni support.

THREATS

Growing Competition

Growing competition from nearby public and private universities. There is increasing
competition for students, faculty and limited resources.

Alternative Providers

Alternative providers i.e., on-line universities and community colleges can also act as a
threat to Karachi University.

Limited Resources

Declining resources from the state and increasing dependence on tuition revenue. For this
reason university is also dependent on funds which increases uncertainty in case funds
are unavailable.

Risk of losing

There is a risk of losing and difficulty in retaining prominent university faculty and staff
for genuinely better opportunities at other universities national or international.

Rapidly Advancing Technology

Changing technology poses the most far-reaching, unavoidable, and

unpredictable threat to institutional stability and competitiveness:

1) Initial investment in infrastructure and equipment, replacement

costs, technical support costs, and employee training costs threaten
always to overwhelm the institutional budget
2) The efficiencies of technology remain tantalizing, and the ante tends
to go up as capability increases

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3) Uncertainty about the direction technology will take deters faculty
from making major time investments in methodologies that the next
advance can sweep away
4) To ensure human capability to use the technology is commensurate
with its potential, ongoing training is necessary. Training translates
into staffing considerations, since it takes time from the job and makes
turnover a significant concern
5) Technology raises the stakes of competition, bringing competitors
into territories formerly protected by distance
6) Effective adaptation of roles, responsibilities, and policy
infrastructures is difficult in a rapidly changing environment.

Legislative Actions

Legislative actions that are increasingly building walls and barriers for conducting
technology transfer.

Sluggish Approval Process

In a rapidly changing educational environment, the time-consuming

and complex processes of securing requisite approvals for new
programs, program changes, off-campus delivery, and even delivery by
telecommunications are often outdated, unnecessary, and mainly
detrimental to meeting educational needs in a timely and efficient way.
Oversight and accountability are appropriate concerns but should not
hinder public institutions in their efforts to serve the public in ways that
compete with private and out-of-state providers.

Recruitments Disadvantages

In recruiting to campus students from outside commuting range,

University is faced with a lack of furnished and affordable housing, as
well as lack of public transportation and limited part time job
opportunities.

Declining Number of high School Graduate Students

The continuing pressure to increase enrollments amidst diminishing numbers of

traditional students fully qualified for university education. Students less prepared for
university education

Declining financial support

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Declining financial support for students that lead to more students working to stay in
universities. This can be a threat as students who can not afford might not be able to
continue university and hence lead to lesser enrollment of students.

Transportation Problem

Thousands of the students of Karachi University face immense

problems in reaching the campus, due to acute shortage of university
point buses. There are just 27 point buses to cater the needs of some
28000 students and teachers, and the university urgently requires at
least 80 more buses to facilitate its students, faculty and non-teaching
staff.

Influence of External Bodies

In the University of Karachi, external body influence is one of the major

threats.

EXTERNAL FACTOR EVALUATION (E.F.E) MATRIX

Numbers Opportunities Weights Ratings Weighte

d Score
1 Global expansion 0.10 4 0.40
2 Foreign links 0.08 4 0.32
3 Improved marketing 0.06 4 0.24
4 Affiliation with other 0.06 4 0.24
universities
5 Growth opportunity 0.05 4 0.20
6 Online opportunities 0.04 3 0.12
worldwide
7 Alternative 0.03 3 0.09
budgeting/funding models
8 Adapt to changing 0.03 3 0.09
Demand and Delivery &
changing expectations
9 Increasing population 0.02 3 0.06
10 Admission Standard 0.02 3 0.06
11 Leading the Learning 0.01 3 0.03
Revolution
12 Student Financing 0.01 3 0.03

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 13 Expanded 0.01 3 0.03
recruitment
14 Expand the array of 0.01 3 0.03
programs
15 Students concern 0.01 3 0.03

Interpretation of Ratings:
4 = major opportunity
3 = minor opportunity

Numbers Threats Weights Ratings Weighted

Score
1 Growing Competition 0.10 1 0.10
2 Alternative providers 0.08 1 0.08
3 Limited resources 0.07 1 0.07
4 Risk of losing 0.05 1 0.05
5 Rapidly advancing 0.05 1 0.05
technology
6 Legislative actions 0.03 2 0.06
7 Sluggish approval process 0.02 2 0.04
8 Recruitment disadvantages 0.02 2 0.04

Declining number of high 0.01 2 0.02

9 school graduates
10 Declining financial support 0.01 2 0.02
11 Transportation problem 0.01 2 0.02
12 Influence of External 0.01 2 0.02
Bodies
1.00 2.54

Interpretation of Ratings:
2= minor threat
1 = major threat

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 CONCLUSION

The external audit has become an explicit and vital part of strategic management. It
provides a framework for collecting and evaluating economic, social, cultural,
demographic, environmental, political, governmental, legal, technological and
competitive information. In an E.F.E Matrix the highest possible total weighted score for
an organization is 4.0, which indicates that an organization is responding in an
outstanding way to avail the best opportunity and the lowest possible total weighted score
is 1.0, which indicates that an organization is poorly responding to the opportunities and
threats in its environment. The average total weighted score for the University Of Karachi
is calculated to be 2.54 which indicate that the university is not responding in an
outstanding way to existing opportunities and threats in its industry. In other words the
universities strategies don’t take advantage of existing opportunities and don’t minimize
the potential adverse effects of external threats which it is facing. It is not effectively
capitalizing on opportunities or avoiding external threats.
It needs to focus on the opportunities and avail those which have high weighted score like
global expansion. Karachi University can go for global expansion to widen its spectrum
throughout the world, foreign links with other foreign universities or more conversations
and partnerships with local employers those in the private, nonprofit, and public sectors
(national or international) so that students of the university are more appealing and in
higher priority to them in recruitment for jobs. Increase and strengthen internal
collaborations and external collaborations e.g., efficiencies in offering degree granting
programs and distance education by stronger collaborations with other educational
institutions.
Its major threats are growing competition; there is a great competition in the market
because all institutions are constantly putting in efforts to provide the best to the students.
It should also try to be on the equal footing with alternative providers of online education

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because it’s a threat to Karachi University which it needs to overcome; resources are also
a threat and making the best use of the resources is mandatory because they are limited.
There is a risk of losing and difficulty in retaining prominent university faculty and staff
for genuinely better opportunities at other universities national or international therefore
university should try to satisfy the employees and compensate them in the best possible
manner.

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