Achievements of British Council, HEC highlighted

Islamabad

Experts from different sectors highlighted the innovative work and achievements of British Council Pakistan and Higher Education Commission (HEC) joint programmes as they got together on Tuesday in an international partners’ seminar jointly organised by HEC and the British Council. 

The seminar was aimed at celebrating and further developing collaborations on joint programs for improving institutional capacity of the education sector in Pakistan. The event focused on opportunities to leverage international research and education programmes to help advance the quality of higher education. Furthermore, to develop strong partnerships of ‘policy learning’, in which both UK and Pakistan stakeholders co-develop solutions suited to Pakistan’s context.

The conference brought together academia and decision makers from the UK and Pakistan including federal and provincial ministers, industry partners and employers, private, public and non-profit sectors to discuss the core education challenges of Pakistan, and possible collaborative solutions that can be developed, particularly by the growing information technology sector, to help address these challenges.

Speaking on this occasion, Federal Minister for Planning, Development and Reform Ahsan Iqbal said that universities are integral to research and are the key to innovations and advancements. “The role of universities now goes beyond traditional education. They make it possible for countries to join the global knowledge society and compete in sophisticated knowledge economies”. He further added that universities cannot work in isolation and need to develop partnerships – both domestic and international – in order to produce research that is relevant, necessary and needed.”

HEC Chairman Dr. Mukhtar Ahmed said that HEC is committed to the promotion of socio-economic development of Pakistan through the capacity building of Higher Education institutes in Pakistan. “HEC is committed to utilizing international expertise in facilitating educational programs that meet the needs of the youth of Pakistan and by supporting linkages between institutions and industry for research and development,” he said.

Country Director, British Council Pakistan Rosemary Hilhorst, expressed hope that the event would provide an opportunity to strengthen existing ties, identify new collaborations and develop networks that will allow for future projects and promote international strategic transnational education partnerships between both countries.

The focus areas of the second day of the seminar was quality assurance in higher education, development of institutional strategies and parallel sessions on impact of higher education on economies and bridging the skills gap through higher education were also held. At the seminar, attendees shared their experiences and resources. They also acknowledged the need to establish a strong link with the UK expertise and develop a strong foundation of sustainable development.

In closing remarks, Minister of State for Federal Education and Professional Training Baligh ur Rehman, said that higher education institutions have major impact nationally. They create talent, build capacity and drive economic growth. They generate not only individual success but also broader economic growth.”