News Desk |
The Higher Education Commission (HEC) Pakistan in its commitment to enhancing the quality, access, and relevance of research in the higher education sector, is making progress to sustain it. Last Wednesday HEC Chairman Dr. Tariq Banuri held a meeting with a group of representatives from 29 top-end US universities. This higher education initiative was reiterated by the HEC Chairman at the event.
As for the group of eminent university representatives, their visit to the HEC was in part to learn about the commission’s programs for faculty development and promoting research culture in Pakistani universities as well as strengthening the US-Pakistan Knowledge Corridor. Both sides went over modalities for collaboration regarding Phase I Ph.D. Scholarship Programs being channeled through the US-Pakistan Knowledge Corridor.
Dr. Banuri said HEC would continue to welcome US universities as part of the pre-existing US-Pakistan Knowledge Corridor by deliberating on further ways of adopting collaborative endeavors.
Dr. Banuri welcomed the delegation while acknowledging the cultural change Pakistan has come across. Dr. Banuri commented on the hike in enrolment that is currently at nine percent in contrast to a mere 0.26 percent, as a result of HEC efforts since 2002. He also pointed out that the number of universities had grown to 192 in the last fifteen years. Dr. Banuri reaffirmed the HEC’s commitment to keeping up this pace in the years to come spelling mutual benefits for Pakistan.
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Of note during the meeting was also the rise in the number of research journals published in the country, currently totaling around 15,000 annually. The chairman also mentioned how research had become an increasingly significant aspect within the academic profession. “This is the change that used to be unheard of in the past,” he observed.
Dr. Banuri said HEC would continue to welcome US universities as part of the pre-existing US-Pakistan Knowledge Corridor by deliberating on further ways of adopting collaborative endeavors.
The Higher Education Commission (HEC) Pakistan in its commitment to enhancing the quality, access, and relevance of research in the higher education sector, is making progress to sustain it.
Earlier, the delegates were briefed by HEC Consultant Dr. Mahmood-ul-Hassan Butt on the background and goals of US-Pakistan Knowledge Corridor. According to the keynote, the Us-Pak Knowledge Corridor was inaugurated in 2015 under the bilateral Education, Science, and Technology Working Group (ESTWG) as part of the Us-Pak strategic dialogue. Butt mentioned how 200 Pakistani scholars were transferred to US universities in 2017, while HEC was planning to send another 300 more scholars to US universities by 2018.
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He highlighted the fact that over 10,000 scholars are to be sent for pursuing Doctorates in various subjects until 2025 in accordance to a 10-year program. The delegates voiced their support in favor of these ambitious goals and expressed willingness in conducting mutually beneficial research for faculty development.