British Council chief in town to unveil new programmes

Islamabad:British Council Chief Executive Scott McDonald is currently in Pakistan for his second official trip, with plans for high-level meetings with government officials and the launch of several programmes.

The five-day visit coincides with the UK's international cultural and education agency organisation's 90th anniversary, celebrating nearly a century of fostering global connections. According to the British Council, McDonald's visit underscores its continued commitment to deepening relationship between Pakistan and the United Kingdom through education, arts, cultural exchange, and opportunities for growth.

"Since opening our first office in Karachi in 1948, we have been an active partner in Pakistan’s journey, evolving our presence and expanding its impact to touch the lives of millions. Today, with more than 300 staff members working across Islamabad, Karachi, and Lahore, we're uniquely positioned to connect Pakistan’s young people, educators and communities to global opportunities, supporting them to achieve their potential and contributing to a peaceful, inclusive, and prosperous Pakistan," the British Council said.

McDonald is scheduled to visit British Council offices in Islamabad, Lahore, and Karachi, attend a special event to commemorate 10 years of the Scotland Scholarship for Young Women and Girls, invigilate a school exam, and attend a gathering focused on the progress of six cultural heritage protection projects funded through the British Council’s Cultural Protection Fund in collaboration with the Department of Culture, Media and Sport. He will also engage with senior government officials and launch several new programmes.

Ahead of the visit, the British Council chief said he last visited Pakistan in 2022 to be part of celebrations of the landmark PK-UK Season, which marked 75 years of UK-Pakistan relations. "I am delighted to be back – Pakistan has one of the strongest operations of any British Council office around the world and I am excited that we continue to create more long-lasting opportunities for millions of young Pakistanis to succeed and build an optimistic, peaceful, and prosperous future,” he said.

The British Council said it had delivered more than 1,000,000 examinations over the last 18 months in more than 40 cities across Pakistan, granting access to globally recognised qualifications for 230,000 young Pakistanis.

According to it, it has supported 435,000 children to enrol in public schools across the country and through the Scottish government’s scholarship scheme has been able to provide opportunities for 2,000 young women to access higher education in Pakistan.

"The Pakistan-UK Education Gateway, a collaborative initiative with the Higher Education Commission, is helping both nations work together on pressing issues such as climate change, while also promoting world-class research and student mobility."