Collaborative efforts to use education diplomacy for achieving MDGs stressed

Islamabad
Collaborative efforts to use education diplomacy for achieving Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) was stressed at the inaugural session of the 10th Meeting of the Committee of Heads of University Grants Commission and Equivalent Bodies of South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (Saarc) member states on Monday.
The meeting was inaugurated by Adviser to Prime Minister on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz. The meeting then witnessed the selection of Pakistan as chair of the committee.
Chairman Higher Education Commission Dr Mukhtar Ahmad took charge as Chairperson of the Committee UGC and Equivalent Bodies.
Addressing the ceremony, Sartaj Aziz, welcomed delegates from Afghanistan, India, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal, Maldives and Sri Lanka, to Pakistan. He said Pakistan as a founding member of Saarc is committed to the principles and objectives enshrined in Saarc’s principal charter, its social charter and its development goals.
He said over the years, Pakistan has contributed to the efforts and took major steps to advance Saarc ideals and objectives. He highlighted the overall assessment in the field of education and literacy and pointed out that higher education cannot be isolated from the preceding levels of education that is quality of primary and secondary education.
He also highlighted the progress made since the inception of the Higher Education Commission. He also shared the government’s fee reimbursement schemes for students of less developed areas, technological readiness through provision of laptops for 100,000 students nationwide and youth internship programme. He dwelt on the comprehensive Vision 2025 for economic and social development aims to focus on the goal for achieving knowledge economy.
While appreciating the outgoing chairperson in his opening address, Dr Mukhtar Ahmed expressed his pleasure at hosting the event in Pakistan and said that for countries to develop investing in education was a basic requirement. He stressed that the Saarc countries faced similar challenges and collaborations and cooperation in research and development could prove beneficial to all.
“It is necessary to use this forum and use education diplomacy to achieve the results of the Millennium Development Goals that have yet to be achieved,” he said. He shared plans to make the Committee a forum that would show tangible results in the field of higher education.
President of Private Universities, Ministry of Higher Education, Prof Hamidullah Amin represented Afghanistan, Member University Grants Commission Dr Muhammad Mohabbat Khan represented Bangladesh, Tshewang Tandin represented Bhutan and Fatimath Amira, Chairman University Grants Commission, Nepal, Dr. Parashar Prasad Koirala and Chairman UGC Sri Lanka Prof Mohan De Silva represented Maldives, Nepal and Sri Lanka respectively. Chairman UGC India Professor Ved Prakah represented Indian. The representatives expressed their confidence in the new Chairperson that he would fulfill the aims for enhanced cooperation between member states.
Later sessions discussed the initiatives that can be taken by heads of HECs and UGCs with respect to mutual recognition of degrees, establishing contacts in research and teaching, achieving common regional education standard, cooperating in quality assurance and accreditation mechanism, harmonizing curriculum of member states and cooperation in open and distant learning. The need to strengthen the mechanism and promote research for applied solutions was also stressed.
Earlier in the meeting, Saarc Secretariat Director Y K A Rohan Aijith shared the message of Saarc Secretary General Arjan Bahadur Thapar. He presented the brief history of the meetings of the Committee of Heads of University Grants Commission and Equivalent Bodies of Saarc member states.