Islamabad, November 8, 2024 – Minister for Planning, Development, and Special Initiatives Ahsan Iqbal chaired a meeting to discuss the “Framework for Processing Concept Proposals for New Projects” under Phase 2 of the Pakistan-UK Education Gateway. Attendees included Higher Education Commission (HEC) Chairman Dr. Mukhtar Ahmed, Member of Science & Technology Dr. Najeeb Ullah, British Council Pakistan Country Director James Hampson, and Head of Education Sarah Parvez.
Officials presented achievements from Phase 1, where the British Council facilitated 21 Research Travel Grants, eight major Research Partnership Grants, and capacity-building training for over 1,000 researchers across Pakistan. Additionally, 51 universities received certification for their Office of Research, Innovation, and Commercialization (ORIC).
Building on these successes, Phase 2 aims to further strengthen higher education, focusing on impactful research and skills development for a competitive workforce. Plans include structured fellowships for international faculty and students, emphasis on commercialized research, leadership and governance training, and capacity building for inclusive, quality education. It will also foster transnational education and mutual qualification recognition.
Minister Ahsan Iqbal highlighted the need for robust impact assessment mechanisms to ensure that project outcomes align with Pakistan’s development goals. He stressed the importance of engaging top-tier researchers to drive advancements across sectors, advocating partnerships with high-ranking global universities to elevate research standards.
He also emphasized that visits by Pakistani researchers to the UK should have defined objectives, yielding measurable benefits upon their return. “Each visit should lead to clear advancements in institutional capacity and academic reforms,” he stated.
Phase 2 of the Pakistan-UK Education Gateway underlines a commitment to an internationally competitive education sector, in line with Pakistan’s socio-economic priorities.
