Islamabad: Phase II of the Pak-UK Education Gateway was launched Thursday at the HEC Secretariat by the Higher Education Commission (HEC) of Pakistan and the British Council.
Federal Minister for Planning, Development, and Special Initiatives, Mr Ahsan Iqbal, was the chief guest on the occasion.
Ms. Farah Naz Akbar, Parliamentary Secretary for Federal Education and Professional Training; Chairman HEC Dr. Mukhtar Ahmed; Mr. Scott McDonald, Chief Executive of the British Council; Mr. Andrew Dalgleish, Deputy High Commissioner of the United Kingdom; Rana Sikandar Hayat, Education Minister of Punjab; Mr. Mohyuddin Wani, Secretary of the Ministry of Federal Education and Professional Training; and vice-chancellors and representatives from the British Council and HEC also attended the event.
The program aims to improve Pakistan-United Kingdom bilateral cooperation in higher education.
The second Phase builds on the successes of Phase I, which was introduced in 2018 and is expected to strengthen academic ties and collaborative research projects for a long-term educational collaboration.
Phase II of the Pak-UK Education Gateway, set to start in June 2025, incorporates six essential elements to assist Pakistan’s higher education objectives, encourage faculty and student mobility, and foster collaborative research projects with UK universities.
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These elements include Women in Higher Education, Leadership and Governance, Scholarships, Transnational Education and Mutual Recognition of Qualifications, Research for Impact, and Faculty Development.
With an estimated value of PKR1.97 billion, Phase I of the Gateway produced noteworthy results. Eight joint research projects were funded, leading to 47 scholarly publications and 27 patents.
Other key highlights included the training of 275 PhD supervisors, leadership development programs for over 40 Vice-Chancellors, and 200 academic fellowships.
In his remarks, Federal Minister Mr Ahsan Iqbal acknowledged the British Council’s valuable support in formulating the Quality Assurance Framework for Pakistani universities.
He was upbeat about the Pak-UK Education Gateway’s continued success and the necessity of more cooperation between the UK and the Pakistani government to increase the country’s tertiary education enrollment rate above 13% in the upcoming years and bring it up to par with its regional rivals.
He suggested measures including giving faculty members specialized training, expanding the number of PhDs with UK credentials in Pakistani universities, and looking into postdoctoral opportunities in the UK for current Pakistani faculty members.
The Minister also stressed the importance of investing in quality education, particularly when sending students abroad for higher studies.
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He advocated for better corporate governance, also the development of pupils’ character and skills, keeping in mind the difficulties presented by divisive and sensationalized misinformation in the current digital era.
In his opening remarks, HEC Chairman Dr Mukhtar Ahmed highlighted the longstanding collaboration between HEC and the British Council, emphasizing the support provided by both the UK and Pakistani governments.
He noted that Phase I represented a unique model of reciprocity and system-to-system support, engaging government departments, universities, faculty, and students from both nations to promote mutual learning and growth.
In 2023, the project played a key role in creating a revised HEC Quality Assurance Framework and new policies for Open and Distance Learning and Transnational Education, with the goal of transforming Pakistan’s higher education system into a forward-thinking, internationally compatible ecosystem.
Regarding Phase II, the Chairman expressed optimism that the initiative would reach new heights, focusing on impact, quality, inclusivity, and sustainable growth in higher education, research, and development for both countries.
He anticipated the program would yield benefits for many years to add value even after its formal conclusion.
Mr Scott McDonald, Chief Executive of the British Council, emphasized the mutual respect and trust built with HEC over time.
He praised the strong political commitment of the Government of Pakistan to the Pak-UK Education Gateway, describing it as heartwarming, and extended his appreciation for establishing a framework for collaboration between the UK and Pakistan.
He expressed enthusiasm for the next phase and pledged £5 million to assist its elements, demonstrating the British Council’s strong interest in strengthening ties between the UK and Pakistan.
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UK’s Deputy High Commissioner, Mr Andrew Dalgleish, expressed the UK’s deep appreciation and strong sentiments towards Pakistan, particularly in education.
To foster more opportunities for cooperation between universities in both nations, he emphasized the UK’s all-encompassing approach to education in Pakistan.
Mr. Dalgleish praised the dedication of both governments, calling it encouraging, and he was excited about Phase II, anticipating a greater commitment and fruitful results for a prosperous future between the UK and Pakistan.