LCWU-UK varsities accord to revolutionise higher education

LAHORE:In a historic event held at Lahore College for Women University (LCWU), the inaugural session of the Pak-UK education gateway mobility partnership for students marked the beginning of a ground-breaking collaboration between universities in the United Kingdom and Pakistan.

This partnership is set to revolutionise higher education, fostering stronger ties and promoting equitable and diverse academic environments. The Pak-UK Education Gateway Student Mobility Partnership being executed at LCWU is focused on enhancing research, academic and professional collaborations between UK universities and Lahore College for Women University which is Pakistan's largest women university.

The leading university from the UK is University of Bolton whereas other partners also include University of Manchester, University of Glasgow, Imperial College London, UCL and UPSIGN.

The project ‘Socially Inclusive and Equitable Education as a Driver for Sustainable Development’ aims to facilitate academically rigorous short-term mobility opportunities for Master's and PhD students in both the countries. Five PhD students from LCWU will directly benefit from this mobility programme, enhancing the quality of their research and academic pursuits. Additionally, three students from the UK are expected to undertake mobility to LCWU, broadening the scope of this initiative.

The event was attended by LCWU Vice-Chancellor Prof Dr Shagufta Naz, and the principal investigator/lead of the project from LCWU Dr. Aqsa Shabbir, Director DFDI LCWU Prof Dr Uzma Qureshi and Director Finance Higher Education Commission of Pakistan Samina Durrani. Distinguished guests from the UK included Prof Zubair Hanslot, Provost at the University of Bolton, Prof Dr Nusrat Hussain from the University of Manchester, Dr Roshelle Ramakisson, University of Bolton, Dr Khalid Mehmood from UPSIGN and Ms Varda Dar, Programme Manager at the British Council.

Prof Dr Shagufta Naz highlighted the expected outcomes of the project, which included increased knowledge and collaboration, empowerment of women in leadership roles, heightened awareness of women's education dimensions, improved equity, diversity, and inclusion, and contributions to sustainable development goals.

Dr Aqsa Shabbir, principal investigator/lead of the project, added, ‘This project sets ambitious goals, including reshaping higher education leadership with a focus on equity and diversity, quantifying the impact of quality higher education on female graduates' employability, addressing socio-psychological challenges faced by female teachers in higher education, tackling gender disparities in STEM fields, and exploring the role of higher education in addressing the socio-psychological impacts of climate change, particularly on women.’

Dr Naveed Iqbal, the Co-Principal Investigator of the project, said that our objective was to illuminate the transformative experiences of students participating in this partnership. Throughout this journey, we will share stories of empowerment, cultural exchange, and educational equity through documentaries and LCWU Web TV.