80 receive USAID scholarships

Islamabad
More than 80 students from four Pakistani universities received scholarships on Wednesday at a ceremony highlighting the achievements of Merit and Needs Based Scholarship Programme (MNBSP) of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).
MNBSP is a $37 million scholarship programme offering fully-funded graduate and undergraduate degrees in 31 public and private universities in Pakistan. It is being implemented by the Higher Education Commission. Fifty per cent of scholarships under the MNBSP Programme are reserved for meritorious and deserving female students.
Speaking at the event, HEC (HRD) Member Dr. G. Raza Bhatti highlighted various programmes of HEC including local and overseas scholarships projects, faculty and infrastructure development. He appreciated support from the United States government and partner universities in promoting higher education in Pakistan.
Students from University of Agriculture, Faisalabad (UAF), Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS), University of Engineering and Technology (UET), Lahore, and Lahore College for Women University (LCWU) received scholarships on the occasion.
Since programme’s inception in 2004, 1807 scholarships have been awarded in 11 Pakistani public and private sector universities. Of these, 1500 students have completed their higher education degrees.