Belarus keen to forge academic links with Pakistan

Islamabad
Ambassador of Belarus to Pakistan Dr. Andrei G. Ermolovich on Thursday expressed interest in forging academic links between the two countries.
The ambassador gave this suggestion in a meeting with Higher Education Commission (HEC) Chairman Dr. Mukhtar Ahmed. The meeting was held to discuss possible future collaborations.
Welcoming the ambassador, Dr. Mukhtar Ahmed said that education is the only solution to multiple problems that we face today. “Education can prove to be the bridging factor between our countries,” he stated. The HEC chairman gave an overview of the investment made in the higher education sector in the last decade and introduction of new disciplines, developing human resource including faculty as well as improving research facilities, creating linkages with local and foreign universities.
He also shed light on provision of facilities for students through the Prime Minister’s Fee Reimbursement Programme which is providing free education for less developed areas as well as provision of 100,000 laptops for students at national level as plans were afoot to make universities Wi-Fi enabled, by introducing the concept of smart universities.
He said that Pakistan would indeed be interested in academic linkages in key areas and invited vice chancellors and other academic leaders to visit Pakistan and witness firsthand the progress made in the higher education sector. He also shared his willingness to arrange a corresponding visit of Pakistani university heads to Belarus.
Belarus is an industrialised country, which has over 50 higher education establishments while they have above 6,000 foreign students studying there.