Islamabad, August 11, 2026: The United States Educational Foundation in Pakistan (USEFP) and the Higher Education Commission (HEC) have signed a five-year agreement to expand and support educational exchange programmes between Pakistan and the United States, including the prestigious Fulbright scholarship programme.
The agreement reaffirms the shared commitment of the governments of the United States and Pakistan to promoting mutual economic prosperity, security, and scientific and technological development through higher education and academic exchanges.
The agreement was signed at USEFP headquarters in Islamabad by USEFP Executive Director Dr. Peter Moran and HEC Executive Director Professor Dr. Zia Ul Haq.
The programmes covered by the agreement are aimed at empowering future leaders, scholars and professionals who can contribute to Pakistan’s development while strengthening educational and people-to-people ties between the two countries.
Under the partnership, Pakistani students and scholars will gain access to the US higher education system while contributing to capacity building across Pakistan’s higher education sector. American participants coming to Pakistan will collaborate on research, business and public health initiatives benefiting universities, businesses and communities in both countries.
USEFP Executive Director Dr. Peter Moran said USEFP-administered programmes empowered participants to develop skills and practical knowledge that directly contributed to Pakistan’s development across different sectors.
“We are grateful for the continued partnership of the governments of the United States and Pakistan in advancing this mission,” he said.
HEC Executive Director Professor Dr. Zia Ul Haq described the long-standing HEC-Fulbright partnership as a hallmark of educational cooperation that continued to deliver significant value to Pakistan’s higher education sector.
“This milestone agreement underscores our shared vision of empowering Pakistani scholars and higher education institutions that will serve our country for generations to come,” he said.
David Moyer, Acting Minister Counselor for Public Diplomacy at the US Embassy in Islamabad, said the United States was proud to renew the partnership with Pakistan’s Higher Education Commission.
“This agreement is a direct investment in the capability and continued progress of both the United States and Pakistan,” he said.
Moyer added that every Fulbright scholar and exchange participant represented an investment in the future, while the agreement would enable hundreds more students and professionals to gain skills and build connections that could help shape future leaders.
USEFP has administered jointly funded educational and cultural exchange programmes for 75 years, enabling more than 9,000 Pakistanis and nearly 1,000 Americans to enhance their professional expertise, conduct research and build lasting connections between the two countries.
The Fulbright Programme, administered in Pakistan by USEFP, is the flagship scholarship programme of the US government.
USEFP is a bi-national commission established by the governments of the United States and Pakistan in 1950 to promote mutual understanding through educational exchange.
