Islamabad, Nov 15: HEC and British Council Launch Phase-II of Pak-UK Education Gateway Initiative. 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. The main guest at the event was Mr. Ahsan Iqbal, Federal Minister for Planning, Development, and Special Initiatives.
In addition, Vice-Chancellors and representatives from the British Council and HEC were present, including 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, UK’s Deputy High Commissioner; Rana Sikandar Hayat, Punjab’s Education Minister; Mr. Mohyuddin Wani, Secretary of the Ministry of Federal Education and Professional Training.”
Two Phases of the Pak-UK Education Gateway
The program’s objective is to improve Pakistan-United Kingdom bilateral cooperation in the field of higher education. The second phase is expected to strengthen academic ties and collaborative research projects for a long-lasting educational collaboration, building on the successes of Phase-I, which was introduced in 2018.
Phase-II of the Pak-UK Education Gateway, which is 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.
Phase -I
The Gateway’s first phase, which cost about PKR1.97 billion, produced notable results. These included support for eight grants for joint research, which led to 47 scholarly publications and 27 patents. 200 academic fellowships, leadership development programs for more than 40 vice-chancellors, and the training of 275 PhD supervisors were additional noteworthy accomplishments.
The British Council provided invaluable assistance in developing the Quality Assurance Framework for Pakistani universities, which Federal Minister Mr. Ahsan Iqbal acknowledged in his remarks.
In order to bring Pakistan’s tertiary education enrollment rate above 13% in the upcoming years and catch up to its regional rivals, he voiced optimism about the Pak-UK Education Gateway’s continued success and underlined the necessity of additional cooperation between the UK and the Pakistani government.
He suggested measures including providing faculty with 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 emphasized how crucial it is to fund high-quality education, especially when sending students overseas to pursue further education. He called on vice chancellors to shift their research priorities to support the country’s economy, meet industry demands, offer creative solutions, and advance the welfare of the community.
He advocated for better corporate governance, as well as the development of pupils’ character and skills, while keeping in mind the difficulties presented by divisive and sensationalized misinformation in the current digital era.
HEC Chairman Dr. Mukhtar Ahmed emphasized the assistance from the UK and Pakistani governments in his opening remarks, highlighting the longtime partnership between HEC and the British Council.
He pointed out that Phase-I was a special example of reciprocity and system-to-system assistance, involving government agencies, academic institutions, staff, and students from both countries to foster growth and learning.
He stated that in order to transform Pakistan’s higher education system into a forward-thinking, internationally compatible ecosystem, the project had played a key role in the development of a revised HEC Quality Assurance Framework in 2023 as well as new policies for Open and Distance Learning and Transnational Education.
Phase-II
The chairman of Phase-II, which focuses on impact, quality, inclusivity, and sustainable growth in higher education, research, and development for both countries, expressed hope that the program will achieve new heights. Even after the program’s official end, he expected it to continue to bring value for many years to come.
He expressed his gratitude for creating a framework for cooperation between the UK and Pakistan and commended the Government of Pakistan’s strong political commitment to the Pak-UK Education Gateway, calling it “heartwarming.” Expressed optimism about the next phase and pledged £5 million to help its constituent parts.
He defined this as an investment in tackling pressing issues like climate change and Pakistan’s educational crisis in addition to intellectual advancement. Mr. Andrew Dalgleish, the UK’s Deputy High Commissioner, conveyed the country’s profound gratitude and strong feelings for Pakistan, especially in the area of education.
He emphasized the UK’s all-encompassing approach to education in Pakistan and its efforts to foster more advantageous circumstances for universities in the two nations to collaborate further. Mr. Dalgleish also praised the two governments’ dedication, 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.
