The Higher Education Commission (HEC) Pakistan and the British Council jointly held the launch ceremony for Phase-II of the Pak-UK Education Gateway at the HEC Secretariat.
Federal Minister for Planning, Development, and Special Initiatives, Ahsan Iqbal, was the chief guest at the event, which was attended by key figures including Parliamentary Secretary for Federal Education and Professional Training, Farah Naz Akbar; HEC Chairman Dr Mukhtar Ahmed; British Council Chief Executive, Scott McDonald; UK’s Deputy High Commissioner, Andrew Dalgleish; Punjab Education Minister, Rana Sikandar Hayat; and several vice-chancellors and officials from both the British Council and HEC.
The initiative aims to strengthen bilateral ties between Pakistan and the UK in higher education. Building on the success of Phase-I, which was launched in 2018, Phase-II is set to enhance academic collaborations, research partnerships, and long-term educational cooperation.
Scheduled to begin in June 2025, Phase-II will focus on six key areas: Research for Impact, Transnational Education and Mutual Recognition of Qualifications, Leadership and Governance, Scholarships, Women in Higher Education, and Faculty Development. These components are designed to support Pakistan’s higher education goals, promote mobility for students and faculty, and foster joint research efforts with UK institutions.
Phase-I, which had a budget of approximately PKR 1.97 billion, achieved significant milestones, including eight collaborative research grants, resulting in 27 patents and 47 academic publications. It also saw the training of 275 PhD supervisors, leadership development for over 40 vice-chancellors, and 200 academic fellowships.
In his speech, Minister Ahsan Iqbal praised the British Council’s role in developing the Quality Assurance Framework for Pakistani universities. He expressed hope for the continued success of the Pak-UK Education Gateway, stressing the importance of enhancing the enrollment rate in Pakistan’s tertiary education system, which currently stands at 13%, in order to align with regional competitors.
He proposed initiatives such as tailored training programs for faculty, increasing the number of UK-qualified PhDs in Pakistan, and exploring postdoctoral opportunities for Pakistani faculty in the UK. He also emphasized the need for investment in quality education, especially for students studying abroad, and urged universities to align research with national economic needs.
In his remarks, HEC Chairman Dr Mukhtar Ahmed highlighted the strong collaboration between HEC and the British Council, which has been instrumental in developing the HEC Quality Assurance Framework and new policies for Open and Distance Learning, as well as Transnational Education. He expressed optimism that Phase-II would further elevate the impact, quality, and inclusivity of the education sector in both countries, bringing long-term benefits even after its formal conclusion.