ISLAMABAD, Apr 22 (APP): A delegation of leading UK universities, education champions and experts led by the UK Government’s International Education Champion, Sir Steve Smith, has embarked on a five-day visit to Pakistan.

This significant visit aims to strengthen educational ties between the two nations and explore opportunities for long-term, collaborative partnerships in higher education.

The visit co-organized by the Higher Education Commission (HEC) of Pakistan, the British High Commission, British Council in Pakistan, the Department for Business and Trade (DBT) and the Department for Education (DfE), comprises of senior representatives from the UK Government, British Council and 16 leaders of UK higher education providers and sector organisations who look forward to deepening, expanding and setting up new links with their Pakistani counterparts.

The visit supports the objectives of the flagship initiative Pakistan UK Education Gateway launched in 2018.

Federal Minister for Education and Professional Training, Dr. Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui was chief guest in the inaugural conference held at HEC Secretariat on Monday.

Chairman HEC, Dr. Mukhtar Ahmed, UK International Education Champion, Sir Steve Smith, British High Commissioner, Jane Marriot, Executive Director HEC, Dr. Zia Ul-Qayyum, Director Education, British Council, Maddalaine Ansell, vice chancellors from various public and private universities, education experts and other stakeholders were present on the occasion. The conference was marked by the launch of Transnational Education Policy (TNE).

Speaking on the occasion, Federal Minister Dr. Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui said that such collaborations will serve as a bridge between the two countries. The Government, he said, would leave no stone unturned to support such initiatives in Pakistan for the development of higher education sector.

He asserted that collaborations in higher education sector would also improve people to people contact which would further strengthen the bilateral relations. Chairman HEC Dr. Mukhtar Ahmed said that the landscape of higher education had transformed in Pakistan over last two decades.

“Internationalization and collaborative work with the world leading universities is an important strategic priority of HEC which aims to pitch Pakistan on the higher education and research arena and also provide as means of knowledge transfer, improve quality of learning and productivity of research, build governance and leadership potential, and enhance access to world’s best education at affordable cost”, he expressed.

He said that the visit of higher education leaders from UK was a significant endeavour to co-work with UK universities for improvement of higher education, research and development in Pakistan. “The TNE policy aims at prompting access to high quality international education to a wider society and advance social and economic development. I am confident that the visit will unfold huge opportunities for enhancing person to person and institution to institution cooperation on sustainable basis for mutual dividends.”

The UK Government’s International Education Champion Sir Steve Smith said, “Building on the positive momentum of our work in Pakistan, I am thrilled to lead this delegation. Pakistan’s dynamic higher education sector boasts impressive growth, and we see immense potential for collaboration. We are committed to fostering partnerships that create a lasting impact through knowledge exchange and joint initiatives.”

British High Commissioner to Pakistan Jane Marriott said, “The UK and Pakistan share a long history of educational exchange, and this visit signifies our unwavering commitment to strengthening these ties further. By working together, our universities can address global challenges, cultivate future-ready graduates, and contribute to the continued growth of Pakistan’s higher education sector.”

In his closing remarks, Executive Director HEC Dr. Zia Ul-Qayyum underlined that the collaboration between the Pakistani and the UK higher education institutions is aimed at benefiting from strengths of each other.

He said HEC is committed to enabling and facilitating faculty-to-faculty, programme-to-programme, and institution-to-institution partnerships.

Reiterating HEC’s commitment to safeguarding the learners’ interest, the Executive Director referred to the National Qualification Framework (NQF) and assured that HEC was working on the NQF having a perspective in the TNE.

He maintained that HEC was mindful of the significance of dual or joint degree programmes. The opening ceremony was followed by a panel discussion on Advancing Sustainable Collaboration by Pakistani and UK academicians. Vice Chancellor NED UET Karachi Dr. Sarosh Hashmat Lodhi, Rector NUST Lt. Gen. (Retd.) Javed Mahmood Bukhari, Vice Chancellor UAF Dr. Iqrar Ahmed Khan, and Vice Chancellor PIFD Prof. Ms. Hina Tayyaba Khalil were the Pakistani academicians took part in the discussion.

On the UK side, the discussion was joined by Vice Chancellor Oxford Brookes University Prof. Alistair Fitt, Pro Vice Chancellor Staffordshire University Prof. Raheel Nawaz, and Dean Global Engagement, University of Glasgow, Prof. Moyra Boland. Panel discussion was followed by question-and-answer session.