Pak-UK Education Gateway to create strategic partnership between Pakistan and UK higher education sectors
A delegation of the Higher Education Commission (HEC) of Pakistan headed by Professor Dr. Mahmood ul Hassan Butt, Chairman HEC, called on H.E. Syed Ibne Abbas, the High Commissioner on 21 June 2018. Ms. Rosemary Hilhorst, Country Director, British Council Pakistan was also accompanying the delegation.
The Chairman briefed the High Commissioner on Higher Education Commission’s Vision 2025 and Pak-UK Education Gateway project.
Pak-UK Education Gateway is designed to create a comprehensive, collaborative and strategic partnership between Pakistan and UK higher education sectors, institutions and individuals to promote mutually beneficial cutting edge research to discover new useful knowledge and skills for socio-economic uplift. It aims to develop human resource and cultivate knowledge capital through improved quality of higher education and skill development institutions in Pakistan.
The delegation is currently visiting the UK to hold discussions and forge collaborations between HEC and British universities and research institutions. It will also hold meetings with the government stakeholders, e.g., Office for Students, Research England, Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS), and Department for Education (DFE) to ascertain the government level support and cooperation for the project.
According to the Vision 2025, the Higher Education Commission aims to increase gross enrolment by 15%, PhD faculty by 40%, the number of universities to 300 and a total enrolment to 7.1 million.
Given the enormity of Higher Education Commission’s goals, partnership like the Pak-UK Education Gateway will play vital role in achieving these ambitious targets.
Higher Education Commission and British Council signed a letter of intent on 3 April 2018 to set up the Pak-UK Education Gateway.
The High Commissioner appreciated HEC’s Vision 2025 as well as Pak-UK Education Gateway. He said that it was reassuring that a vital sector for national development i.e. education, is being focused in a structural way. However, he emphasised on the continuity of the projects and tangible outcomes, thereof.
The High Commissioner also appreciated the role of British Council in promotion of education in Pakistan. He assured the delegation of High Commission’s full support and facilitation in implementation of their projects.
